![Carmel Valley 1930](/media/images/history/carmel-valley-1930.jpg)
![Installing wine barrels](/media/images/history/1996-wine-barrels.jpg)
![Bernardus Wine Club](/media/images/history/wine-club.jpg)
Bernardus heritage
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![Ben Pon](/media/images/history/1989-intro.jpg)
Benardus Marinus Pon
Bernardus Marinus Pon was born in 1936, the namesake of Bernardus. Pon was the son of Ben Pon sr., founder of Pon Holding, was one of the four directors of Pon Porsche Import from 1965 to 1988.
Below Above
Ben Pon and Porsche
![Vineyard developing at Marinus 01](/media/images/history/1989-gallery-01.jpg)
![Vineyard developing at Marinus 02](/media/images/history/1989-gallery-02.jpg)
![Vineyard developing at Marinus 03](/media/images/history/1989-gallery-03.jpg)
![Carmel Valley 1930](/media/images/history/carmel-valley-1930.jpg)
Racing years
1961
From 1961 to 1967, Ben Pon raced for Porsche with a Porsche 356 Abarth. No fewer than six times Pon raced on the Le Mans circuit and once he competed in Formula 1.
![Bernardus Pinot Noir](/media/images/history/1992-gallery-01.png)
Below Image
‘Ben Pon fixing his car’
![First winemaker Don Blackburn tasting early vintages out of the barrel with Ben Pon](/media/images/history/1992-gallery-02.jpg)
Racing Bernardus
Porsche ambassador
1972
In 1965, Pon stopped racing to focus on the family business Pon Porsche Import Centre, Ben Pon was responsible for Porsche imports here.
Below Left
‘Ben Pon & Johan Cruijff’
![Ben Pon in front of the tasting room](/media/images/history/1994-gallery-01.jpg)
Taste a dream
1992
He starts his own vineyard in California, the 'Bernardus Winery'
![He starts his own vineyard in California, the 'Bernardus Winery'](/media/images/history/1995-gallery-03.jpg)
Wine success
1997
![Marinus Bottle](/media/images/history/1996-marinus.png)
In 1997, during the White House Dinner, under the Clinton administration, the 1995 Monterey County Chardonnay is served. In 2000, this happens again under the George W. Bush administration.
![Bernardus Wine Club](/media/images/history/1996-wine-barrels.jpg)
White House
Dinner
2007
In 2007, the 2005 Bernardus Sauvignon Blanc was rated the best white wine by the Wall Street Journal. In the year 2000, Ben Pon was also involved in the founding of Golf Society Lage Vuursche.
Sauvignon Blanc
![Marinus Bottle](/media/images/history/2001-sauvignon-blanc.png)
![Marinus Bottle](/media/images/history/2001-gallery-02.jpg)
![Marinus Bottle](/media/images/history/2001-gallery-03.jpg)
Above Below
‘Aerial view of Lage Vuursche’
Robert & Ben
2016
Working together
Below Left
‘The two successful Dutch businessmen meet’
![Winery in the renovating stages](/media/images/history/2004-gallery-01.jpg)
![Winery in the renovating stages](/media/images/history/2004-gallery-02.jpg)
Bernardus Golf
2017
Construction of the course started in 2017. The course was designed by US architect Kyle Phillips. Robert named the golf course after Bernardus Marinus Ben: Bernardus Golf.
![Robert van der Wallen and Ben Pon](/media/images/history/2017-gallery-01.jpg)
![Robert van der Wallen and Ben Pon in a golf cart](/media/images/history/2017-gallery-02.jpg)
A challenging 18-hole course
Host KLM Open
2021
In 2021 and 2022 Bernardus was the proud host of the Dutch Open and in 2023 of the KLM Open.
![Ben Pon during the 16th Tulpen Rally in Noordwijk, 21st april, 1964](/media/images/history/ben-pon-1964.jpg)
The Solheim Cup
2026
In 2026, we will be the proud host of the world's biggest female golf tournament, which will be held in the Netherlands for the first time.
![The Solheim Cup](/media/images/history/solheim-cup.jpg)