Clark Robert Smith is a pioneering

innovator Innovation is the practical implementation of ideas that result in the introduction of new goods or services or improvement in offering goods or services. ISO TC 279 in the standard ISO 56000:2020 defines innovation as "a new or changed entit ...

in the

wine Wine is an alcoholic drink made from Fermentation in winemaking, fermented fruit. Yeast in winemaking, Yeast consumes the sugar in the fruit and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Wine is most often made f ...

industry. He is largely respected for his contributions to

winemaker A winemaker or vintner is a person engaged in winemaking. They are generally employed by wineries or wine companies, where their work includes: *Cooperating with viticulturists *Monitoring the maturity of grapes to ensure their quality and to de ...

s and the wine industry of

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

and worldwide. He has built many successful brands, consults on five continents, judges wines at several competitions and teaches winemaking in six universities.

Early life and career

Clark's parents met at

MIT The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of modern technology and sc ...

. His father an Aviation Engineer earned a presidential commendation from

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party a ...

for helping to build engines for the

Apollo spacecraft The Apollo spacecraft was composed of three parts designed to accomplish the American Apollo program's goal of landing astronauts on the Moon by the end of the 1960s and returning them safely to Earth. The expendable (single-use) spacecraft ...

. Clark's early life years were spent growing up on the East Coast, and

Birmingham, Alabama Birmingham ( ) is a city in the north central region of Alabama, United States. It is the county seat of Jefferson County, Alabama, Jefferson County. The population was 200,733 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List ...

where he attended the private school Indian Springs School. Clark has said this has impacted his ability to be a good writer. Clark attended MIT briefly, declined program completion, and went on to graduate as a top student and memorable pupil at U. C. Davis (1977–1983). Smith served as the founding winemaker for The R. H. Phillips Vineyard for its first seven years, taking it from 3,000 cases per year to 250,000. He implemented night time harvesting and published ground-breaking research on vineyard variables affecting wine quality. After spending the 1970s retailing wine in the East Bay, he began his winemaking career as cellarmaster for VeederCrest.

Postmodern winemaking

In 1990, he began Vinovation, which became the world's largest winemaking consulting company with over 1200 clients around the world. Clark developed a postmodern winemaking system which rejects the solution chemistry model of

winemaking Winemaking, wine-making, or vinification is the production of wine, starting with the selection of the fruit, its Ethanol fermentation, fermentation into alcohol, and the bottling of the finished liquid. The history of wine-making stretches over ...

and instead centers on building structure, integrating aroma, and promoting living

soils Soil, also commonly referred to as earth, is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, water, and organisms that together support the life of plants and soil organisms. Some scientific definitions distinguish dirt from ''soil'' by restri ...

. His Postmodern Winemaking from U.C. Press was named Wine and Spirits Magazine's 2013 Book Of The Year.

Pioneering technologies

In the 1990s, Smith went on to patent

reverse osmosis Reverse osmosis (RO) is a water purification process that uses a partially permeable membrane, semi-permeable membrane to separate water molecules from other substances. RO applies pressure to overcome osmotic pressure that favors even distribu ...

methods for

alcohol Alcohol may refer to: Common uses * Alcohol (chemistry), a class of compounds * Ethanol, one of several alcohols, commonly known as alcohol in everyday life ** Alcohol (drug), intoxicant found in alcoholic beverages ** Alcoholic beverage, an alco ...

removal and

volatile acidity Volatility or volatile may refer to: Chemistry * Volatility (chemistry), a measuring tendency of a substance or liquid to vaporize easily ** Volatile organic compounds, organic or carbon compounds that can evaporate at normal temperature and p ...

correction, founding the world's largest

technology provider, Vinovation, and pioneering the implementation in American

of micro-oxygenation,

ultrafiltration Ultrafiltration (UF) is a variety of membrane filtration in which forces such as pressure or concentration gradients lead to a separation through a semipermeable membrane. Suspended solids and solutes of high molecular weight are retained in t ...

, tartrate stabilization through

electrodialysis Electrodialysis (ED) is used to transport salt ions from one solution through ion-exchange membranes to another solution under the influence of an applied electric potential difference. This is done in a configuration called an electrodialysis ...

, alternatives to sterile

filtration Filtration is a physical separation process that separates solid matter and fluid from a mixture using a ''filter medium'' that has a complex structure through which only the fluid can pass. Solid particles that cannot pass through the filte ...

. Smith sold Vinovation and its technology. Smith has been busy writing on postmodern winemaking, which rejects the solution chemistry model of winemaking and the reductionist approach to sensory evaluation, instead centering on structural integrity, aromatic integration, graceful longevity and soulful resonance with the environment in which wine is consumed. These realms have opened inquiries into living soils, vine balance, proper maturity, co-extraction, uses of oxygen, balancing reduction, minerality, microbial balance, and the relationship of wine and music. "Wine is not science, it's cuisine – the ultimate slow food." uote: Clark Robert Smith

Wine specialist

Smith is recognized as a leading authority on the enhancement of wine structure and a vocal proponent of living soil. His popular class on Fundamentals of Wine Chemistry has been attended by over 4,000 participants since 1984. David Darlington's biography of him in Wine & Spirits magazine won the James Beard award. He directs the Best of Appellation wine evaluations for AppellationAmerica.com, writes a monthly column, "The Postmodern Winemaker", for Wines and Vines magazine, and is an adjunct faculty member at California State University at Fresno and Florida International University. He was awarded "Innovator of the Year" by Wine Business Monthly magazine at their IQ Conference in March 2016.

Wine alcohol reduction techniques

Clark is often quoted as talking about finding the "sweet spot" in a wine, which is the point at which wine has achieved its optimal taste and aroma or "nose". This is determined by the alcohol percentage in the wine.

Author, writer, columnist and teacher

In 1993, Smith started WineSmith.com to explore a range of California terroirs with

Cabernet Franc Cabernet Franc is one of the major black grape varieties worldwide. It is principally grown for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the Bordeaux (wine), Bordeaux style, but can also be vinified alone, as in the Loire (wine), Loire's C ...

Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Sauvignon () is one of the world's most widely recognized red wine grape varieties. It is grown in nearly every major wine producing country among a diverse spectrum of climates from Australia and British Columbia, Canada to Lebano ...

Chardonnay Chardonnay (, ; ) is a green-skinned grape variety used in the production of white wine. The variety originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France, but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand. For new a ...

and Roman

Syrah Syrah (), also known as Shiraz, is a dark-skinned grape variety grown throughout the world and used primarily to produce red wine. In 1999, Syrah was found to be the offspring of two obscure grapes from southeastern France, Dureza and Mondeuse ...

made according to European principles. A long drive practicing wine maker Clark began making the wines for Diamond Ridge Vineyards in 2007, of a unique high altitude site in Lake County. Clark is an editor and contributing writer to many Wine related topics and Magazines. Clark is a contributing Writer, Columnist and Editor for Appellation America, Wine and Vines Magazine "The Postmodern Winemaker". Clark has worked in six Universities and Colleges as an adjunct lecturer. He has taught courses for over 20yrs, at University of California at Davis, Napa Valley College, Fresno State University, Southwest Missouri State University, Florida International University and L'Academie du Vin in Tokyo.

Musician

In recent years, Smith has become increasingly interested in the study of the relationship of wine and music cognition. A composer and vocalist, He sings baritone for the men's chorus Sonoma Chanson, was elected President for 2017 of the Redwood Chordsmen, and sings baritone in the barbershop quartet, "Sound Logic". He is currently engaged in the production of a CD of original songs about real life in the Wine Industry. He resides in Santa Rosa, California.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Clark Robert Place of birth missing (living people) University of California, Davis alumni American winemakers Year of birth missing (living people) Living people