Enrico Serafino

Enrico Serafino is one of the oldest continuously operating wineries in Piedmont, Italy. Founded in 1878 in Canale by Enrico Serafino at the age of 23, the winery has remained in the same historic location for over 140 years. From its inception, the winery’s legacy has been built on artisanal winemaking, meticulous attention to quality, and a profound respect for tradition, values it still holds today.

The vineyards are in the UNESCO World Heritage wine regions of Langhe-Roero and Monferrato, renowned for their exceptional terroir, cultural significance, and timeless beauty. These landscapes provide the foundation for Enrico Serafino’s distinctive wines, which reflect both the natural richness of the region and the enduring spirit of Piedmont.

Enrico Serafino produces highly regarded still and sparkling wines that embody generations of heritage and “Piedmont attitude.” With a strong commitment to sustainability and an unwavering pursuit of excellence, the winery holds a respected position both in Italy and internationally. This dedication to quality led to notable recognition in 2022, when Kerin O’Keefe awarded the Barolo 1964 an exceptional score of 99/100 and the Briccolina Barolo Riserva 2016 a remarkable 97/100.

Enrico Serafino remains devoted to honoring its founder’s vision by crafting wines of distinction while preserving the artisanal essence and character of Piedmont.

Enrico Serafino has long held sustainability as a core value, but in 2024, the winery made this commitment more visible and deliberate across its operations. The winery strengthened initiatives such as its parcel library, which tracks air and water quality across vineyard plots, signaling a shift from implicit dedication to transparent, measurable action.

Notable progress was made in adopting renewable energy, improving packaging, reducing chemical use, achieving VIVA certification, and advancing sustainable vineyard practices. The winery also focused on closing key reporting gaps, particularly in areas related to environmental performance and diversity, equity, and inclusion.

In 2024, the region experienced abundant rainfall, particularly in the spring and early summer, a welcome shift after several years of drought, but also a challenge for winemakers, who had to carefully manage disease pressure and harvest timing. Despite modest vineyard expansion, the winery’s effective water management strategies decreased total water consumption. Collaboration with the agronomy team and analysis of environmental data from 2022 to 2024 played a key role in ensuring responsible stewardship of both water and energy resources. While overall energy use rose slightly compared to recent years, it remained below 2018 and 2019 levels. In May 2024, Enrico Serafino took a significant step by updating its energy contracts to source electricity from renewables and carbon-neutral gas through offsets, avoiding 74.4 metric tons of CO2 emissions. The installation of solar panels in 2025 will further strengthen the winery’s commitment to sustainable energy.

The winery’s sustainability leadership extended beyond the vineyard, with the President addressing students at ITS Agroalimentare Piedmont about sustainable practices in the wine supply chain and the importance of strategic communication in responsible wine production.

Workplace culture shaped team dynamics, particularly the differences between U.S. and Italian work styles with Italy placing greater emphasis on relationship-building alongside clearly defined roles. Enrico Serafino’s President also spotlighted ethical labor practices in his contribution to the article “Don’t Tarnish the Good Name of the Langhe” in Dissapore, publicly condemning exploitative “caporalato” (gangmastering) and advocating for transparency and accountability to protect worker rights and the region’s reputation.

A standout innovation in 2024 was the ongoing trial of Meunier, a grape traditionally used in Champagne, now being piloted in the Alta Langa region. In partnership with Regione Piedmont and local winemaking schools, this project, which saw its first harvest in 2023, promises to debut a new sparkling wine in 2030. This bold initiative positions Piedmont as a leader in sparkling wine innovation and opens new agricultural possibilities amid a changing climate.

The winery has expanded reporting to additional vineyards and continues to monitor water use across its operations and facilities.

Enrico Serafino’s total energy use rose this year, but remained below 2018–2019 levels (2020–2022 data unavailable). The share of sustainable energy increased, with new 2024 contracts guaranteeing renewable electricity and carbon-neutral gas, avoiding at least 74.4 metric tons of CO2 emissions. Solar panels will be installed in 2025, making it the final Krause Group brand in Italy to generate onsite renewable energy.

Energy mix