In 1978, just after purchasing Château de la Ragotière, the Couillaud brothers also purchased an estate on a beautiful hillside in the Loire Valley with a schist terroir. Part of the plot still needed to be planted, and Bernard Couillaud was curious about which varietals would do well in this area, where the two dominant varietals were Melon de Bourgogne and La Folle Blanche. After some research, the Chardonnay grape piqued his interest due to its unexplored potential in a maritime region. He launched the project and immediately set out for Chablis to research and learn more about Chardonnay. Planting started in the spring of 1987 and, over the course of three years, 42-acres were planted on the hillside plot.
Together with her husband, Amélie Dugué-Couillaud, daughter and niece of the Couillaud brothers, has taken over the estate, continuing to expand the ambitious project. The Bernier wines are produced following sustainable methods by the Couillaud family at the Château de la Ragotière, a few minutes from the Atlantic coast near the mouth of the Loire River. The range of wines which today includes Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and a sparkling Chardonnay are fruity, crisp, and mineral.