Franco Biondi Santi dies aged 91

Franco Biondi Santi, the man known as the “guardian” of Brunello di Montalcino, has died aged 91.

In 1870 Biondi Santi’s grandfather, Ferrucio, took a clone of the Sangiovese grape, known as Sangiovese Grosso, to produce the first Biondi Santi Brunello di Montalcino. Franco’s father, Tancredi, took over the estate in 1922 before Franco himself took over the reigns in due course.

Known also as a “gentleman of Brunello” Franco continued the family’s tradition of producing the famous wine. He maintained the family’s philosophy for the wine’s production methods and was also passionate about caring for the territory.

Franco was drawn into the 2008 “Brunellogate” scandal in which some producers were suspected, and later cleared, of blending grapes like Merlot, with Brunello. Last year Franco told the New York Times: “Of course it was a big deal, but the court did the right thing, and now we are moving on. Whenever you have a crisis it takes some time to get over it.”

In the 1990s Franco also famously fell out with his son, Jacopo, an argument which was reportedly over whether or not to modernise the Biondi-Santi wine style. The pair later made up but Franco remained committed to the purity of Brunello.

President of the consortium of Brunello di Montalcino producers, Fabrizio Bindocci, said: “The Consortium and the whole territory, in addition to losing a great producer, lost a great man of great sensitivity and humanity. To him we owe so much and we are sure that his example and his skill will be carried out by those who come to the helm.”

Mayor of Montalcino, Silvio Franceschelli, said he was “deeply saddened” by Franco’s death, adding that “he gave so much to this area and through him Montalcino has an image of high profile internationally. A man who has enriched Montalcino.”