Biondi-Santi, family synonymous with and, in 1865, responsible for the production of the first wine ever to be labelled brunello di montalcino. Before that time Montalcino’s fame was based solely on a sweet, often sparkling white based on the moscadello grape, until Ferruccio Biondi-Santi isolated a particular type of Sangiovese on his Il Greppo estate using mass selection with better resistance to oïdium than Moscadello. It was subsequently called Sangiovese Grosso and officially registered as BBS 11. Ferruccio also increased vine density and lowered yields, while eliminating the white grapes that were routinely blended with Sangiovese then.
