Alto Adige Grand Tasting Tour
By Jessica Tinianow
The great whites have arrived.  These are the geat white wines of the white wines from the Alto Adige Vineyard region of Northeastern Italy that I got to experience firsthand at the Alto Adige Wine Grand Tasting Tour .As I  made my way thru samplings of the 20 wineries represented ,I experienced these authentic, fresh and crisp wines with their own original character. The white grape varieties are grown in more than 55% of the vineyards and the cooler temps of the high altitude of the region ranging from 650 to 3250 feet in elevation.  The region provides the microclimates that produce the smooth and delicate tastes  of the Pinot Bianco, Gewürztraminer , Chardonnay and the Pinot Grigio wines. All of the wines are in the $15-$24 range.  Most are available now, or soon will be in your local wine shop.
Tasting the wines was a flavor experience, unlike many.  All of the wines have a pronounced fruit character and an elegance of structure that speaks to the terroir from which they come. 
The Pinot Blanc had an elegance scent of apples and lively acidity.  The wine had a full array of fruitiness and considerable finesse for such a young wine.
The Sauvignon Blanc had aromas of gooseberries and if you’ve never had these fruits just try a glass of this wine and you will know what I mean.  It was crisp and fresh with a marked intensity.  This is a great wine to go with fish or a fresh salad made with Romaine lettuce and pears or blood orange slices.
The indigenous Gewürztraminer is a slightly spicy, crisp white wine that is unique to the region.  It embodies rose scented character that encompasses a vast array of scents.  There’s a splash of various tropical fruits with an overlay of rose petals, and lychee nuts that give it a luxuriant velvety texture. I like d this wine so much I would recommend drinking it alone, or with a selection of spring fruits and light semi-soft cheeses.  Serve well chilled for a spring afternoon delight.  This is definitely a patio wine! 
Among the whtes there were a few standouts:  the Alois Lageder Haberle Pinot Bianco 2009, Gewurtzraminer 2010 Peter Zemmer. These wines all embodied freshness and originality.  They had balanced acidities, clean aromas and were a pleasure to drink. The St Valentin Sauvignon Blanc 2009 was also a pleasant wine to drink with its  fruity character and balanced acidity. 
Though I sing the praises of the white, I don’t want to overshadow the red varietals.  They are equally on par.  The Pinot Noir has rich aromas of dark berries and spices .  It is very intense and was well structured.   The Pinot Noir, Merlot and Cabarnet Sauvignon were fresh and cleanly structured with a good bit of mineral taste. The low tannin reds were also  elegant and spicy with immaculate acidity.  If you have a guest who says they normally don’t drink red wine, this would be one for them to try.  I think they’d like it.
The region grows around twenty different grape varieties.  A few notable ones are the Schiava and Lagrein grapes which  have a distinct identity and strength of expression. 
The Schiava (Vernatsch) was low in tannins, a bit spicy with a moderate alcohol content.  The Lagrein, one of the leading red wine varietal of the region, had an aroma of fresh cherries, berries and violets.  It demonstrated a soft acidity and velvety body.  The selection I tasted also emitted tones of spice, lending the selection more character and charm.  It was light, earthy, and full bodied with a velvety texture and had a long finish.
Lest I not forget –dessert! Among the dessert wines Moscato Giallo:The pleasant aroma  of the MG 2009 I tasted from Manincor 's vineyards was sublime. 
The wines of the Alto Adige region are an absolute delight.
 
 
[Submitted by Jessica Tinianow]

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“Work  for Citizenship”     A way to gain citizenship faster, legally and economically.  
By Peter Lewit , Discourse and Reflection    Aug. 23, 2017
  We know there are numerous foreigners coming into the United States illegally. Surprisingly, many pay enormous sums of money to be smuggled across the border. These sums can be far greater than the approximate $725 cost to go through a process and paperwork to become a citizen. They pay the extra cost because it gets them into our country faster. A solution to this problem might take the form of a work for citizenship program. The primary component is the work camp.  This work camp would be similar to construction and logging camps that were prevalent in the early days of building our country.  It was an idea that President Roosevelt promoted when he created the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930’s.
As an example, foreigners intending to immigrate could apply to the program for a tour of three months. They must remain in the camp in a guarded arrangement until their tour is complete or they decide to return to their place of origin. A tour would also include passing their citizenship requirements.  Illegals already here in the country could also apply. In their case they might go for an extended period of six months, the extra time being in the form of community (Govt) service in lieu of a fine, imprisonment or deportation.  A basic understanding of English would also be required.  Part of their wages would be garnished to cover camp, food and citizenship requirement costs.   Quarters would be in a group camp format as suitable to the area.  By consolidating the workers into camps they would not be incurring huge costs for meals, housing and transportation. They would still be able to send home to their family an allowance comparable to what they might earn with a green card. There would be areas for men and women and a choice of work for both.  The work would be on government projects or camp duties, which may include assisting in cooking sanitation and the like. Evenings would be spent in their citizenship training and English.
    While in the camp they would go through a vetting process and physical health inspection.  Removal to the place of origin would occur if there was failure to pass our government’s standards.  The whole program would be voluntary, details of time frames would be up to the federal government. It should be enticing so that all concerned parties benefit.  Altogether, this program would use foreign nationals intending to immigrate, to work on U.S. government sponsored programs:  “the wall”, for example. With the exception of building materials, it cuts government labor costs, provides a safe and secure environment for us and the workers. The country of origin will pay us by default; in other words, they lose a part of their workforce!  Volunteers with varied experience could be sought to enhance the program.  The federal government saves on costs for the project. The immigrants save costs, get in faster and above all, become legal!
[Submitted by Peter Lewit]

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Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tbilisi S/S18 Avtandil 'Double Identity'Nov 2, 2017Location: Rustaveli TheaterImages, video captured, documentary film by Michael R Vanderpool "The Avtandil fashion show was surprising colorful in a spring trend delightful to see, with a style anticipating fresh memories to come. A pleasure to the eye, for the woman waltzing through the house or on the way to swift execution of a shopping list and activities to conquer." - Michael R Vanderpool, 

[Submitted by Michael Vanderpool]

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_B9_sEAUPA&t=4s

I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar

Why do women roar for equality? It is incredulous that in 2017, this question still needs to be answered. But, after a recent personal encounter with a millennial young women, I realized the importance of reiterating to the masses of men and women why women roar for equality. Our next generations of women fully need to comprehend why they are partaking in events as The Women’s March. 

This One's For The Girls
A new Off-Broadway Musical called ‘This One’s For The Girls’ is the impetus behind the question. Written by Dorothy Marcic, the show takes the audience through the decades of a woman — from the 1900s to present day — portraying the roles of women through drama and song. Forty of the Top 40 Hit songs about women are thread throughout the production including “Stand By Your Man,” “I Want to be Loved by You,” “Diamonds Are a Girls Best Friend,” “I Will Follow Him,” “You Don’t Own Me,” “Respect,” ‘I Am Women” and “This Girl’s on Fire.”

Couple that with a backdrop of slides showing photographs of prominent women and men over the century who have helped to frame the woman’s role such as civil rights activist Rosa Parks, heart throbs Bobby Darrin and David Cassidy, women’s advocate Gloria Steinhem, Actresses Marilyn Monroe and Jane Fonda, musician Janice Joplin — the list is endless.

One of the scenes in the show depicts the original American teenage girls from the 60s, waiting anxiously by the old-fashioned phone for a boy to call. We’re talking pre-cell phones, internet, Facebook, Snapchat and the like. It was at that point, that the young millennial women turned to me asking if that really happened?

Incredulous, right? It was at that point that I realized how uninformed our next generation — especially of women — are on the hows and whys of the women’s movement. I am guestimating that most of the young girls and women who advocated and walked during this year’s Women’s March were clueless on how long the female sex has been striving for equality and the long history of why women are roaring now.

Ignorance Is Not Bliss When It Comes To Women’s Rights

“Every mom should be taking their daughter to see this show. And, wouldn’t it be fabulous if their sons would see it, too?” — Abbe Sparks, Socially Sparked News

As a mother to a millennial, I speak the truth when I say, “every mom should be taking their daughter to see this show. And, wouldn’t it be fabulous if their sons would see it, too?” I repeat, “ignorance is not bliss” but an eye opener to the evolution of a women’s role in society and the women’s movement.

I leave you with a quote I heard from Together For Girls‘ Daniela Ligiero cited from an ancient Chinese proverb.

“When Sleeping Women Wake, Mountains Move.”

Abbe is Socially Sparked !   Abbe Sparks, www.sociallysparkednews.com  Tweet @sosparkednews & @asparks01

‘This One’s For The Girls’, written by Dorothy Marcic is playing open-ended at St. Luke’s Theatre Off-Broadway in New York City. Visit their website for ticket information. http://thisonesforthegirlsthemusical.com

[Submitted by Abbe Sparks]