Marisa D'Vari interviews Bernard Portet, co-founder and vice president of Clos Du Val

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      "For me, food is first, wine comes second," says Bernard Portet, co-founder and vice president of Clos Du Val winery in the Napa Valley. I am interviewing him just before a dinner his company is hosting at Boston's Museum of Art to celebrate the cusine of the museum's (then) executive chef Jim Dodge and an opening exhibition.

     Of course, for Mr. Portet the wine always comes first - he was addressing my question about pairing red wine with fish. His concern was that a very powerful wine, even Clos Du Val's fantastic Cabernet Sauvignon, could overwhelm and overpower a delicate fish dish, and recommended - depending on the sauce - chardonnay or sauvignon blanc instead.

     Charming and savvy on all things related to wine, Mr. Portet was born in 1944 in Cognac, France, and raised in the Bordeaux region. He developed a passion for winemaking while walking the vineyards and caves of Bordeaux with his father, a régisseur (technical director) at Château Lafite.

     In the interview, he speaks briefly of his formal studies at the French winemaking schools of Toulouse and Montpellier and when John Goelet hired him in 1970 to establish Clos Du Val.

      Dinner begins and we toast, "Nush!" (Ancient saying meaning enjoy it and let it become part of your body)

Here's some more info on the winery

http://www.closduval.com/
Clos Du Val
5330 Silverado Trail
Napa, CA 94558
707.261.5225 or 800.993.9463