This is a big holiday weekend in the United States, the unofficial beginning of Summer. It’s also a big weekend in Italy for a number of reasons. First, Sunday is Cantine Aperte. It’s always held the last Sunday in May. This is the 19th year of the festival. I remember the first year of the festival and the first guidebook that the Movimento del Turismo del Vino put out. I still have that guide. It was my second year living in Italy and I was thrilled. I wish I could go to a winery this Sunday in Italy but I will have to settle for something closer, maybe Long Island or the Hudson Valley, always a nice jaunt.

On Sunday, the second round of voting in the Mayoral election in Milan is also taking place. It is possible that for the first time in 20 years, a left leaning politician, Giuliano Pisapia, could be the Mayor of Italy’s largest city. The current mayor, Letizia Moratti is getting a run for her money. It still remains to be seen who will win but what a comment on Prime Minister Berlusconi’s government that the right could lose Milan. In fact, he’s rather infuriated and sadly is appealing to people’s greatest fears.

This brings me to my third theme for this blog post, the Jewish Choir of Rome. I sometimes write about subjects having nothing to do with wine or finance such as this article published in I-Italy. The event was truly touching and for me was a blend of so many parts of my soul. Va pensiero which has always been one of my favorite pieces of music took on a whole new meaning.