The lazy days of almost summer are upon us once again, and with so much hot weather ahead, a bottle of light and fruity wine would make a refreshing break from the heat. White and rosÃ© wines are summer foods' best mates, so my advice is to keep the heavy, expensive bottles in the cellar a little longer, as they are usually too heavy and contain too much alcohol. When buying a bottle for your next barbecue, what you should be looking for is crisp, light and fruity wine. A selection of wonderful wines has being launched for the upcoming season by the local producers. Here are few to help you slow down, relax and enjoy the best parts of the season. Tishbi, Estate, Chardonnay 2008: Made of 90 percent Chardonnay and 10% Viognier grapes handpicked at a vineyard in Zichron Ya'acov, this dry white wine exhibits lightly spicy green apple with pink grapefruit and citrus notes. NIS 55 (kosher) Tishbi, Estate, Sauvignon Blanc 2008: Rich, creamy and loaded with lush, ripe fruit flavors like pineapple and melons, it is powerful, yet lingers elegantly on the finish. NIS 55 (kosher) Galil Mountain, Sauvignon Blanc 2008: High in acids and clean, with intense, long-lasting flavors of lime, fig and green apple, it's a refreshing sipper and shows Upper Galilee near its best. NIS 39 (kosher) Galil Mountain, Avivim 2007: An excellent white blend made from Viognier and Chardonnay grapes grown at the northern tip of the Galilee wine region. The peach, apricot, pineapple and honeysuckle flavors have a rich edge of smoky oak and vanilla, offset by fine acidity, and the finish is very dry. This is one of the best local white blends. NIS 77 (kosher) Galil Mountain, RosÃ© 2008: Made as a blend of 82% Sangiovese, 13% Merlot and 5% Barbera, this is an aromatic wine with scents of strawberries and grapefruit and hints of honeysuckle. With only 12.5% alcohol, it has the right amount of sweetness and is balanced by a nice citrus finish. NIS 39 (kosher) Recanati, RosÃ©, 2008: Made from 85% Barbera and rest Merlot grapes handpicked at a vineyard in Manara at 800 meters above sea level, this is a lively refreshing blush wine. Aromas of citrus, white peach and strawberry make it a great companion for most summer dishes. NIS 69 (kosher) Dalton, RosÃ© 2008: Intensely flavored, with a burst of citrus fruit and supple tannins on the finish, this semi-dry wine is easy to drink on its own, but also versatile at the table. NIS 44 (kosher) winereview@gmail.com

Wine Cellar: Easy drinking

White and ros? wines help beat the summer heat.