Founder Dr. Susan Mayer-Smith, founder of the American Vitoz Society and founder/owner of GrapeCraft Wine Marketing, died of surgical complications January 24, 2010 at age 59. Susan, who earned her PhD in Clinical Psychology in French at the University of Marseilles, founded the non-profit The American Vittoz Society in the United States in 2002. She invested in GrapeCraft in 2003 with her husband, winemaker Clark Smith, as a funding source for Vittoz, a European therapy method for treating phantom pain in amputees, ADD in children, and training in bringing the mind to the present moment in today’s world of sensory overload. Susan, who had suffered from Lyme disease, wanted it to be known that she had acquired liver disease which led to her death as a self-medication for chronic pain, and had no idea how vulnerable the female body is to alcohol. She dedicated herself to raising service dogs, and desired that contributions in her name be made to Canine Companions for Independence. For more on Susie Clark, please read her full obituary here.
President, R. Brian Smith directs all activities of GrapeCraft Wines and its brands. He is a Systems Science Engineer (University of Pennsylvania, 1979), with extensive technical experience, including U.S. Navy nuclear submarine power operations and shipbuilding, nuclear utility facility engineering, Nuclear Regulatory Commission Reactor Operator License Exam conduct, and U.S. Army Chemical Weapons Disposal Program and safety management. Brian applies his skills to support the growth of Vinovation by developing documented systems and evaluating new technologies from the human aspect of machine operation and maintenance in support of safety, quality and reliability requirements. Brian oversees the daily business operations, research and development projects, business development activities as well as the operations of Oenovation International, LLC (our international sister company).
Winemaker, Clark Smith dropped out of M.I.T. in 1971, and has been in the wine industry ever since. Among the Clark 's claims to fame are the only perfect score ever in the Winetasting Olympics and being fired by Alice Waters. Twice. After graduating U.C. Davis in 1983, he served as winemaker for the R.H. Phillips Vineyard for its first seven years, taking it from 3,000 cases per year to 250,000. In 1990, he began Vinovation, now the world's largest winemaking consulting company, with over 1200 clients around the world. Clark and his staff at Vinovation named the practices they developed “GrapeCraft,” a name adopted by his family’s winemaking venture, GrapeCraft Wines. These practices mainly center around building structure, integrating aroma, and promoting living soils. Clark spends his time dreaming up ways to improve his client's wines, rattling the cages of established wine industry icons and institutions, folksinging, and making his own line of eclectic brands including the astounding WineSmith line, the fun & friendly PennyFarthing wines, and the groundbreaking CheapSkate brand. Clark somehow finds time to teach courses in Enology 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.
Assistant Winemaker, Petar Kirilov was born in Bulgaria and graduated in 2002 from the University Of Food Technologies with a Master of Beverage Technology degree with a specialization in wine, beer, spirits and soft drinks. He was a Beverage Technologist in the Bulgarian spirits company Bonidex Ltd. and after this with Nova Trade Co.Ltd where he managed technology and quality control. From 2003 to 2004, Petar put his education to work at Truchard Vineyards in Napa Valley. He joined the Vinovation team in 2005.
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