FARM WINERY LAYOUT DESIGN: SIZE ANALYSIS OF BASE SPATIAL UNITS IN AN ITALIAN STUDY AREA

The general goal of this study was the built environment analysis of small to medium-sized farm wineries, which are strategic for Italian wine production. The specific aim was the identification of significant correlations between the dimensional features of spatial units and the production capacity in a context characterized by broad product diversification and high process flexibility. The research refers to an 800 km2 study area in the Emilia-Romagna region. We identified 131 farm wineries with average annual production capacities of up to 5000 hL year-1. The wineries were georeferenced and classified based on their production capacity and altimetry zone. A representative sample of farms was studied by means of data analyses and in-field surveys. We measured the floor area, average internal height, and volume of the spatial units of which each building was composed. We then computed means and coefficients of variation of these variables, as well as their Bravais-Pearson correlation with annual wine production. We also analyzed the proximity of different production areas. Sizes of areas not directly linked to wine-making (such as storage of additives and adjuvants, tasting room, and dressing room) showed substantial independence from production capacity. The floor area, height, and volume of the grape receiving and wine-making units, as well as the volume of the bottling, aging, and commercialization units, showed significant correlations with production capacity, as identified through a linear regression model. Based on the correlation indexes and average sizes, we formulated quantitative relationships to assess the overall area and volume of a hypothetical farm winery depending on its production capacity. Finally, we developed design scenarios of winery layouts for various production sizes.