Identity
I grew up in Montefalco, in the countryside, where the land dictates the rhythm of the days and teaches patience. My family has always lived off agriculture: the land purchased by my great-grandfather at the beginning of the twentieth century was home to vineyards, olive trees, arable land and pastures. Wine had always been there, but it had an intimate, family role: the grapes were sold, and a part was vinified at home, for personal use or for sale in bulk.
I am the fourth generation to deal with wine, but the first to have decided to bottle it. Before founding Valdangius, I continued the family business and worked as a cellarman and countryside manager in a local winery. It was there that I honed my skills, learned the trade in the field and developed an ever-deeper passion for viticulture and winemaking.
In 2010 I felt it was time to take a step forward. With my father and sister we founded Valdangius. We started with little equipment but a lot of enthusiasm: two used barriques, a plastic barrel, and a lot of determination. The old stable became the cellar, the barn our first warehouse. Today we produce about 30,000 bottles a year cultivating 7 hectares of vineyards. A first goal that, even today, excites me.
Danilo Antonelli
My father was the first to believe in this project, putting himself on the line once again. My mother has always represented a point of balance, with a constant, silent but fundamental presence. My wife, with patience and strength, is my daily support: behind every choice, every harvest, every step forward, there is also her contribution, often behind the scenes, but decisive.
Jessica, my eldest daughter, is joining the company bringing new ideas and a contemporary outlook and today manages the reception and some foreign markets. Alex, the youngest, is in love with tractors for now... but who knows, maybe this will become a passion for him too. And then there is Alessandro Meniconi, consultant winemaker and daily point of comparison: without his contribution, Valdangius would not be what it is.
I deeply believe in the strength of the territory, in the richness of the native varieties and in the potential of Montefalco as a great wine land.
The company is located in the hamlet of San Marco, a historic cru suited to viticulture in the Montefalco area. In recent years we have also expanded into the municipality of Bevagna, on different soils, to give our wines greater complexity. Today we cultivate 7 hectares, with red varieties (Sagrantino, Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc) and white varieties (Trebbiano Spoletino, Chardonnay, Pecorino, Sauvignon Blanc). We are in organic conversion: from the 2025 harvest, our wines will be certified.
I believe in a wine that respects the land, the vintage, the variety. We vinify with indigenous yeasts, maintain low sulphite levels and follow a clean, precise, elegant style, but always direct and sincere.
Valdangius is not just a name: it is the story of a choice, of an evolution, of a dream that has its roots in my history and that is renewed every day, among vineyards, people, and shared visions.
