One of the pioneers of the wine industry in the Tuscany region of Italy, Giulio Gambelli, has died at the age of 86.

The man known affectionately as Bicchierino, or Little Glass, was one of the most celebrated proponents of the classic Sangiovese grape, which forms the basis of the finest Super Tuscans.

He joined Enopolio de Poggibonsi at the age of 14 as a cellar hand, but a job in the laboratory of Tancredi Biondi Santi led him to a lifelong study of the Sangiovese grape and consultancies with Brunello di Montalcino of Soldera and Chianti Classico of Montevertine.

As other Tuscan producers tried to blend Sangiovese with international grapes, Gambelli insisted on using the native Italian grape as a monovarietal, as it is now used in the region.

Tributes from across the wine world have poured in for Gambelli, recognising the role he has played in establishing the identity of Italian wine.