Robert Smith
Master Sommelier, Wine Ambassador for Center for Wine Origins

Whether studying for the Court’s rigorous exams or lounging on the beaches of Spain, Master Robert Smith has shared and enjoyed every sip of wine with old and new friends.

Master Robert Smith grew up working and learning about the service industry in his family’s restaurants scattered across Dallas, Texas. He worked in all areas of hospitality, and enjoyed the personal interaction the service industry created. Incrementally learning about wine and food, he moved from his family’s restaurant to Las Vegas to attend the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and study Hotel Administration and Economics. He worked at small, boutique restaurants and began to take notice of the intricacies of the wine industry.

Robert’s fascination with wine began from afar as he watched restaurant managers taste wines with suppliers. He was intrigued by their weekly tasting meetings, and his coworkers took notice of him lingering just a second too long at the tasting table. Soon, he was invited to join them and share his feedback on the wines. Robert asked questions, tasted as many wines as he could, and listened as others described what they tasted to the group. He recalls tasting an older Bordeaux and Cabernet Sauvignon that still retained their flavor and maturity after such a long period of time. He learned about the regional differences of wine by tasting and comparing Pinot Noirs from California and France, and learning that one varietal did not necessarily taste the same across the board.

First and foremost an academic, Robert was fascinated by the scientific nature of wine and set out to learn as much as possible about the beverage. He joined now fellow Master Sommeliers Keith Goldston and Ken Fredrickson for an informal tasting group led by Master Sommelier Ron Mumford. They gathered once a week for tasting lessons on different wine regions, which inevitably turned into eight or nine hour sessions, as each sommelier’s fascination and passion for wine drove the discussion into the late hours of the night.

Robert set out to learn more about wine at one of Las Vegas’ premier restaurants and was successful in landing a position at Spago in Caesars Palace. Working alongside now Master Sommeliers Ken Fredrickson and Keith Goldston, San Francisco based Chef Julian Serrano took notice of Spago’s service staff and eventually led him to the Bellagio’s Picasso restaurant where he remains today. At Picasso, Bellagio’s Wine Director and Master Sommelier Jay James frequently led tastings with Robert and helped guide his tasting ability towards the Court’s rigorous standards.

Robert had heard of the Court of Master Sommeliers program from his tasting group and coworkers, and knew he wanted to push himself to the next level of his wine education. He began fervently tasting and preparing for the Court’s program and teamed up with a small group of aspiring candidates and Master Sommelier Ron Mumford. The vast amount of knowledge shared by the group contributed to his successful mastery of the region, climate, and style of each wine he tasted. After passing through the Court of Master Sommelier’s Advanced Examination, Robert and now Keith Goldston recruited soon-to-be Master Sommelier Rob Bigelow to venture to Las Vegas and pursue the Masters program with them. Rob Bigelow and Robert joined eventual Master Sommelier Paolo Barbieri and winemaker Caleb Dial and formed a new study group of four avid sommeliers eager to pass the Court’s ultimate examination. They held weekly tastings, studied wine theory, shared past experiences and collaborated on the Court’s material. Robert successfully passed the Masters Examination in February of 2004.

Currently, Robert is working with Steve Olson’s AKA Wine Geek and the Center for Wine Origins, is the official Wine Ambassador of Sherry, and will soon be the official Wine Ambassador of Champagne and Port. As a Wine Ambassador, Robert consults on public relations strategy and promotions for all levels of the wine industry, performs staff and retail trainings, and educates the public and wine staff on various wine regions. He is an avid mentor to the young sommeliers he has met over the years, and remains close with the Court of Master Sommeliers by assisting the program as an instructor.

As the lead Sommelier at Picasso since it opened in 1998, Robert enjoys working with people and learning new novelties about wine every day. He easily recalls what Paul Stanley, lead singer of KISS, once told him when Robert asked what type of wine he would enjoy, “No one tells me how to write my songs, so I won’t tell you how to pick your wines.” Robert helped create Picasso’s prestigious reputation as an innovator of food and wine pairings, and contributed to it being named one of the Best Restaurants for Wine Lovers by Wine Spectator every year since 2002, receiving the Wine Spectator Grand Award every year since 2003, and receiving the Fine Dining Award from Santé magazine in 2007.

Robert has received numerous awards throughout his career, including Outstanding Wine Service by Santé magazine and Las Vegas Sommelier of the Year. He also has been nominated three years in a row for Outstanding Wine Service from the James Beard Foundation. Robert has been featured in multiple publications over the years including Wine Spectator, Santé, Food and Wine Magazine, Swirl, Wine Journal, and Master Sommelier Ronn Wiegand’s Restaurant Wine newsletter.

Whether studying for the Court’s rigorous exams or lounging on the beaches of Spain, Master Robert Smith has shared and enjoyed every sip of wine with old and new friends.

As the lead Sommelier at Picasso since it opened in 1998, Robert enjoys working with people and learning new novelties about wine every day. Robert helped create Picasso’s prestigious reputation as an innovator of food and wine pairings, and contributed to it being named one of the Best Restaurants for Wine Lovers by Wine Spectator every year since 2002, receiving the Wine Spectator Grand Award every year since 2003, and receiving the Fine Dining Award from Santé magazine in 2007.

Robert has received numerous awards throughout his career, including Outstanding Wine Service by Santé magazine and Las Vegas Sommelier of the Year. He also has been nominated three years in a row for Outstanding Wine Service from the James Beard Foundation. Robert has been featured in multiple publications over the years including Wine Spectator, Santé, Food and Wine Magazine, Swirl, Wine Journal, and Master Sommelier Ronn Wiegand’s Restaurant Wine newsletter.

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