During the long hot summer days, nothing is as refreshing as a properly chilled white wine. While red wines go well with meat and can cut through a heavy meal, their high alcohol content and thick body can tire one on a hot day. A crisp white wine with its lower alcohol content has less pucker and more cooling sparkle to help beat the heat. Some of this year’s recent favorites are:

From Austria:

Gruner Veltliner with its crisp white fruit flavours. 12% alcohol $16

From Italy:

Piemonte Moscato Pelassa with 5.5% alcohol and fizzante sparkle has apple and orange flavours. $21

Martini Asti – a full sparkling wine in the classic style with peach, pear and apple flavors. 7%alcohol $15

From Germany:

Relax Riesling with sweet flavors of white fruit and apple. 9% alcohol $12

From New Zealand:

Stoneleigh Sauvignon Blanc. Great star fruit and grapefruit notes. 90 pts. 12.5% alcohol $18

From the U.S.A.:

Bokisch Granacha Blanca a full grapefruit and green apple flavor in a great wine made from a Spanish grape varietal grown in California. 12.5% alcohol $22

From Canada:

Union White a well round white with flavors coming from four different grape varietals. Apple, pear, grapefruit and lychee. 12% alcohol $15

Remember to properly chill these wines, serve cold and Enjoy!