(JancisRobinson) - Franco Biondi Santi, arguably Montalcino’s most iconic producer, has died today at the age of 91. The sad news broke on the second day of Italy’s most important wine fair, the biggest of its kind in the world, Vinitaly. Biondi Santi had been struck by a particularly vicous flu last January but seemed on the path to complete recovery. Although he was of a great age, his death still comes as a complete shock.

Dubbed by Kerin O’Keefe as the ‘Gentleman of Brunello” in her book, Biondi Santi was always a staunch defender of a 100% Sangiovese Brunello di Montalcino, even at times when his wines were considered old fashioned and out of date. But he had time and public opinion on his side when in 2008 the Brunello scandal surfaced in which notable Brunello producers saw their wines sequestered and blocked for export on suspicion of containing grapes other than Sangiovese, suspicions that were later confirmed.