Bernard is the Winemaker at Celestial Bay

In his own words, Bernard was " born a bogun (three weeks late and has been ever since!), crushed into accounting but pressed off into oenology and married a French princess". Born and bred in the Clare Valley, Bernard was not headed in any particular direction when a chance meeting with then chief winemaker at Stanley led him into the wine industry. They were both playing football for Mintaro based club, Maroona United and Chris suggested that work as a cellar hand was going at Stanley. Like many before him, Bernard's first taste of the wine industry had him hooked. He enrolled in the Diploma of Oenology at Roseworthy, graduating in 1986 and immediately thereafter moved west to Margaret River where he has been based since , with the exception of a few extended trips to Europe.

Bernard joined the team in late 2003, helping to prepare the 2003 reds for bottling and to begin production planning for his first full vintage in 2004. While most of his experience has been in the Margaret River region, he has spent time working in France. Bernard believes that combining modern winemaking with traditional techniques (hands on, small batches and constant attention to detail) produces the best wine. His range of experience combined with Sam’s first hand knowledge of grape growing in Margaret River ensures that our philosophy – “a passion for perfection”- is captured in each bottle.

Bernard rates a 1985 Chateau Petrus as the most amazing wine he has tasted and a bottle of Sancerre with fresh oysters shared on the banks of the Loire River with the French Princess ranks as the most enjoyable wine and food experience.