There is nothing like being first. For instance, I am sure that Mr Bailey is pleased that he came up with the idea of mixing Irish whisky with rich cream, and the Santa Margherita folks appreciate being the first to make a clear “white” wine from a dusty grey grape called pinot grigio (a mutant clone of the pinot noir).

It is fair to say that the Biondi-Santi family of Tuscany “invented” brunello di montalcino and on their Greppo property they developed a clone of the sangiovese grape that they called sangiovese grosso.

Their policy of low yields, long maceration time (the soaking together of crushed grapes, skins, seeds and stems), considerable time in wood and cellar ageing gave the world a new standard for their area.

In 1932, an international commission that was studying the Chianti district, including Montalcino, stated that Ferruccio Biondi-Santi was the first to produce a wine that officially became classified as brunello di montalcino.

In 1967 about 170 acres were producing fruit for this wine, but by 2009 this had grown to 4,600 and today there are about 200 producers.

The firm has an amazing selection of older vintages for sale, but I confess to shying away from their 1955 reserva that we would have to sell for about $13,500 a bottle.

At one time, especially in Bordeaux, it was common practice to re-cork old bottles and this is a process where corks are checked after about 30 years and, if they have deteriorated, the wine would be topped up with a similar vintage and a new cork inserted. This is very rare today and this has a lot to do with the possibility of fraud. The great Chateau Lafite Rothschild was still doing this in the 1990s but to be honest I am not sure if this has stopped today.

Every year in June clients can send back famous Biondi-Santi vintages and the family will open each bottle and check for flaws. Any bottle that passes inspection is topped with the correct vintage, corked and sealed and given a re-corking certificate. The owner will pay for the topping-up wine and the time spent.

Franco Biondi-Santi, the grandson of Ferruccio, passed away in 2013 and he used to say that he wanted to make wines “that were never old enough to drink”. By the time we get to their 2007 reserva it could be yours for $745, but to be honest we have just settled for their beautiful Biondi-Santi Brunello di Montalcino “Annata” 2007 that we are selling for $149.75. The winery suggests the following for enjoying their brunello: open and pour a little in a glass so that the liquid level is down to the shoulder, and then let the bottle stand for eight hours. Do not decant. Now drink the wine.

The 2007 vintage in Tuscany was a classic one that rates 97/100 on vintage charts and although drinkable now, it should last until 2047.

Rosso di Montalcino was established as a category of wine in 1984 to allow the producers of brunello to make wine from younger vines, and the age requirement in cask is less.

These wines are still 100 per cent sangiovese but they can be enjoyed younger and fresher. We have the Biondi-Santi Rosso di Montalcino 2012 for $48.25. It is dry, warm and tasty with intense perfume.

Castello di Montepo is a 1,100-acre estate near the Tuscan coast where Biondi-Santi make their flagship super Tuscan wine called sassoalloro and we have the 2010 that is made 100 per cent from the sangiovese grosso grape.

This wine is brilliant ruby red with violet tones, the nose is fresh, fruity and intense with noticeable sweet violet notes.

The palate is gentle, velvety and elegant. It is drinking well now but will age beautifully.

Biondi-Santi Sassoalloro IGT 2010 is $36.45 for a bottle, $78.85 a magnum and $187.10 for a double magnum.

• This column is a paid-for advertorial for Burrows Lightbourn Ltd. Michael Robinson is Director of Wine at Burrows Lightbourn Ltd. He can be contacted at mrobinson@bll.bm or 295-0176. Burrows Lightbourn has stores in Hamilton (Front Street East, 295-1554), Paget (Harbour Road, 236-0355) and St George’s (York Street, 297-0409). A selection of their wines, beers and spirits is available online at www.wineonline.bm