Today on his blog Vino al Vino, VinoWire editor Franco Ziliani sadly reports that the owner of the Podere La Gerla in Montalcino, Sergio Rossi, died over the weekend. Born in Bergamo, Rossi enjoyed a successful career in advertising before buying the winery in 1976. “I had the opportunity to meet Rossi,” wrote Franco on his blog today, “and to appreciate his humanity. He was an old fashioned gentleman, [a breed] increasingly rare in Motnalcino.”

“La Gerla will continue to grow in the direction that Sergio Rossi indicated,” said the estate’s vineyard manager Alberto Passeri. “It will follow his philosophy and will continue to produce excellent, unique wine that reflect the interests and passion of the persons, like Sergio, who wrote this history of this winery.”