The British all-round talent Robert "Oz" Clarke (*1949) studied theology and psychology at Pembroke College, Oxford. He then embarked on a career as an actor and singer and worked at renowned stages such as the Royal Shakespeare Company, The National Theatre, The Old Vic and Chichester Festival Theatre. He also played film roles in Superman, Superman II and Lord of the Rings. Clarke was then a member of the newly formed "English Wine Tasting Team" in competitions against France, Germany and the USA. This proved crucial to his later professional development.
In 1982, he won the last "World Wine Tasting Championship" competition. This year also saw the launch of the popular BBC show "Food and Drink". "An actor with wine knowledge" was sought to replace a wine expert who had dropped out, and this was the start of Clarke's new career. He and wine critic Jilly Goolden became the "voices and faces for wine" for a whole generation. His first articles as a wine writer appeared in the "Sunday Express", after which he was wine correspondent for the "Daily Telegraph".
Clarke has written numerous award-winning wine books, the best known of which are The Essential Wine Book (1988), Clarke and Spurrier's Fine Wine Guide (2001, with co-author Steven Spurrier), Oz Clarke's Encyclopedia of Wine (2003), Clarke's Great Encyclopedia of Wine (2003), and Clarke and Spurrier's Fine Wine Guide (2001, with co-author Steven Spurrier). Clarke's Great Encyclopedia of Wines), Oz Clarke Wine Atlas (2007), Oz Clarke's Grapes and Wines (Clarke's Great Encyclopedia of Grape Varieties), Oz Clarke Bordeaux (2009) and Oz Clarke 250 Best Wines Wine Buying Guide (2011). At the end of 2010, the first apps for iPhone and iPad were available with "Best Wines 2011" and "Christmas Wines". According to a survey conducted in 2008, Robert Oz Clarke is the best-known English wine critic. Among his numerous awards, the 2009 "International Wine Challenge Personality of the Year Award" and "Louis-Roederer-International-Book-of-the-Year-Award" for his book "Oz Clarke Bordeaux" should be mentioned. He was appointed "Officier de l'Ordre du Mérite Agricole" by the French government.
Oz Clarke: By Colin1661music - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link
