A delegation of wine producers from the Republic Moldova are in North Carolina this week to visit Tarheel wine importers, exporters, producers and distributors. Today and tomorrow, they will make stops in Charlotte and Asheville. Mr. John McKenzie is traveling with the delegation and can be reached by cell phone at 336-473-0771.

The delegation is part of a reciprocal trade mission between North Carolina and the Republic of Moldova, a former Soviet republic and now an emerging democracy in Eastern Europe. The mission is designed to foster trade between Moldova and North Carolina, both of which are known for their wine industries. The mission comes as part of a federal program overseen by the North Carolina National Guard called the Partnership for Peace. The program matches American states with newly-independent nations, mostly former Soviet bloc countries or former Soviet republics, and fosters cooperation and aid in the areas of education, health care and other humanitarian disciplines, culture, agriculture and military issues. Partnership for Peace states now work with 22 countries worldwide.

Wednesday, October 9 -- Charlotte

Thursday, 10 October -- Charlotte/Asheville