Writing the playbook for silver linings
A version of this column was published was published 12/15/21 in The Observer and The Review & Express.
The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is for reflection, and this year my biggest learning is that life isn’t always perfect. Often life is about how we bounce back from the moments that take us by surprise.
A Seneca Lake winery has provided a masterclass in bouncing back over the last week. “As you may have heard, we had a fire this evening at Three Brothers Wineries and Estates in our beloved Bagg Dare Wine Company,” the brand shared via social media on Monday, November 6. The fire completely destroyed the tasting room, which was one of four on the property.
My husband and I have fond memories of walking the dirt path around the pond to Bagg Dare. It felt like walking the bayou on a hot summer day with a cool glass of wine waiting on the other end. The space focused on the brand’s sweet wine offerings, and was filled with authentic antique signs collected by co-owner Dave Mansfield over the years. Dave and his wife Luanne purchased the property in 2006 and began constructing a multi-building experience–the first of its kind in the USA. They opened to the public the next year.
“It was the worst possible combination of things,” said Erica Paolicelli of that Monday night. She also co-owns the winery alongside her husband, Justin. Erica describes the time waiting for firetrucks to arrive as a blackout moment. She watched the fire rage thanks to the evening’s high winds while she called the Mansfields with updates, telling them: “it's gone–it's gonna be gone. I just knew because the fire was so big. I've never seen anything like it.”
Backup fire trucks and a water pump truck were called in. Eventually, an excavator was used to remove the tin roof once firefighters (all of whom were volunteers) learned it was further insulating the fire. They fought the flames until 1AM.
Despite the heartbreaking loss of the historic building, the team is thankful: not only was no one injured, but Erica fears they could have lost more if the winds were blowing in a different direction. The team is also busy, having already built a temporary Bagg Dare tasting space, which is home to some of the burnt signage from the wreckage as a tribute to the original. The walls are supplemented with signs from Dave’s personal collection as well.
The remaining buildings (Stony Lonesome, Passion Feet, and War Horse Brewing Co.) have also reopened to the public. Soon, they’ll organize a fundraiser for the volunteer firefighters, and are already thinking through plans to rebuild Bagg Dare in 2022.
Wine industry professionals are a special breed. To find the courage and strength to rebuild so quickly after a major trauma seems admirable, but for Erica and her team, it’s second nature. They’re focused on the silver linings, and choosing to move forward. “It's easier to use my energy to solve a problem than it is to just dwell on a problem,” explains Erica. For her and the other owners, pivoting has always been part of the business plan and this moment is no different.
While not quite what she envisioned for the business in 2022, Erica’s already found a positive: “over time, you'll start to see the silver linings that you couldn't see in the moment. I know there's more of those coming.”
The best way to support Three Brothers is to shop local. Visit the winery, buy their products online (3brotherswinery.com), or ask for them at your local Wegman’s or liquor store.
Maiah Johnson Dunn is a writer based in the Finger Lakes region. Visit maiah.com for more.