The winery

...the wine in family

Our history

The Tonelli family has been part of the Marche tradition of winemaking for at least three generations. In 1912, Antonio, Francesco’s grandfather, began to make wine from the rows of vines he had planted down the middle of corn fields in Pergola, as was the custom in those days. This tradition was continued and enlarged by Cesare, Francesco’s father, and his brother Marino. They became not only good producers but also excellent wine merchants, a tradition that was continued by Francesco despite the threat of a collapse of the local wine market resulting from the closure of the nearby sulphur mine, the largest in Europe with a substantial workforce. Today Francesco and his son Stefano remain committed to viticulture and winemaking on the land of the Tonelli family.

The winery

...the wine in family

Our philosophy

We believe deeply in the integrity of a wine, capable of telling the characteristics of a land with complete honesty. Wine is synonymous with art, art as a means of communicating tradition and that creates dreams and arouses memories. These values have been with us for a long time, from generation to generation. We will never abandon the intrinsic characteristics of this ancient craft. Our winemaking activity, now almost 100 years old, is distinguished by an inseparable attachment to tradition together, in recent times, with the improvements necessary to obtain the optimum results, seeking the perfect balance between taste and colour, between bouquet and aftertaste. Our agricultural work follows an annual cycle with the repetition of specific events but with variations of time and intensity. We respond with sensitivity to the impact of nature’s variations on the final product, our wine. We follow nature’s timescales, rejecting standardisation, with a passion for our land, the people who work with us and nature itself.

Who we are

...we share with our passion

Who we are

It is with such dedication and passion that we turn to those who share our thoughts, our wine and unique moments derived from small gestures such as sharing a glass of our wine.

 

 

Francesco Tonelli

Passion, soul and strength of Fattoria Villa Ligi, Francesco revived the family winemaking tradition in the 1980s, founding the brand. He has always been active in saving native vines that risked extinction, and he contributed to the creation of the D.O.C. Pergola by driving the development and selection of clonal varieties of local grapes.

Stefano Tonelli

The current fulcrum of activity, winemaker and food scientist guiding light of Fattoria Villa Ligi, Stefano’s passion for wine making was born in his childhood. He leads the company alongside his father, Francesco, based on the experience gained in his studies and on the principles of those who preceded him, focusing on quality, tradition and respect for the territory.

Lea Pailloncy

French touch of the company, Lea arrived at Fattoria Villa Ligi in 2014 following success as a professional sport player of badminton. She realised that wine would have been her career among the vine rows of Provence, her native land. Therefore she studied in the heart of international oenology - Burgundy - to follow her passion and refines his knowledge through work experience all over the world.

Maria Ida Ligi

Biologist, teacher of Mathematics and Science, Maria Ida has always divided her time between school and the company that bears her family name. Thanks to the help of her brother, Natale, the first vineyards of the company with the new brand name were planted in Montevecchio, the place where Maria Ida was born and bred.

Elena Tonelli

After graduating in Engineering and Architecture, Elena enrolled in an Academy of dramatic art in France, dividing her time between theatrical and family activities. She is the artistic spirit of the family, working on communications and the organization of events..

Ada Tonelli

Ada, the baby of the family, has the name of the sister of Cesare, Francesco’s father. She represents the fifth generation of a century-old tradition… a tradition that continues today, and that will live on …