All alcohol can be beneficial to our health in moderation as alcohol will reduce the surface tension of water.
So what does this mean? Water molecules have a strong force of attraction towards each other & other surfaces and this is why water can form drops. We need to add surfactants (washing powder) to our washing machines so that we can break down this force so that liquid can get into the material to clean away the dirt in our clothes.  Alcohol can reduce the incidence of thrombosis (blood clots). As said before water breaks down the surface tension of water by reducing the force of attraction between the molecules and other surfaces and since a big percentage of our blood is water it means that it will be able to flow a little more freely through our veins. Wine has other chemicals that appear to further enhance the above health benefits.

In France, the population has a diet that is high in saturated fat & regular alcohol consumption is common yet they record a surprisingly low rate of cardiovascular (heart) disease. This phenomenon is known as the French Paradox and is related to this countries high rate of consumption of alcohol (in particular red wine). There are two broad types of cholesterol, HDL (high density lipids) & LDL (low density lipids) that can simply be called good and bad. Clogging and hardening of the arteries is due to LDL’s or bad cholesterol and this can lead to heart disease.

Chemicals in red wines colour, anthocyanins & resverotrols, have been shown to increase the levels of our HDL’s and this type of cholesterol take the LDL’s to our liver where they are destroyed and excreted from the body.

Please remember though that the health benefits are only recognised when you observe the 1 to 2 standard drinks per day and this does not mean you can have a few alcohol free days and save for a big Friday night. Excess and binge drinking will not produce greater benefits for you. A little regular exercise and good diet will enhance you health

ILNAM Estate

Chardonnay
Medium to full-bodied, dry. Poultry and game birds, veal and pork, rabbit, fish and pasta preparations which feature cream and/or butter, mushrooms.

Sauvignon Blanc
Light-medium bodied, dry. First courses, seafood, ethnic dishes—pastas, curries, salsa’s, vegetable dishes, luncheon salads, olive-oil based dishes, tomato sauces, goat cheese.

Chenin Blanc
Light to medium-bodied, normally off-dry to semi-sweet. Braised Chicken, sushi and other Oriental dishes, poultry, pork.

Traminer
Light to medium body, usually semi-sweet, occasionally off-dry. Spicy cuisines such as Chinese, Mexican, and Indian.

Riesling
Light to medium bodied, semi-sweet to off-dry. Crabmeat, appetisers and finger foods, pork, salads.

Semillon
Medium bodied dry white. Grilled fish, foods with creamy sauces such as pasta.

Verdelho
Medium bodied dry white. Yabby, grilled fish, fruit platters and Italian pastas with cream based sauce.

Cabernet Sauvignon
Medium to full-bodied, tannic and dry. Beef, lamb, pork, duck, game meats, cheeses.

Merlot
Medium to full-bodied, less tannic than Cabernet, dry. Beef, lamb, pork, duck, game meats, cheeses, stews, pizza, heart pastas.

Shiraz
Medium to full bodied. Beef fillet with tomato based sauce. Rich spicy meals. Veal, kangaroo, roasted duck.

Grenache
Medium to full bodied dry red. Fillet steak with tomato based sauce, sweet seafood, chicken and red meats.

Pinot Noir
Medium to light-bodied, dry, little tannin leaves silky texture. Lamb, duck, turkey, game birds, beef, rabbit, semi-soft cheeses.

Rosé
Vary greatly in the level of residual sugar (sweetness). Best with smoked foods, quiche, pork and ham, Mexican and Thai food. Can be served with all food.

Sparkling Wines

Brut
Dry. Aperitifs and first courses, fruits and nuts. Fuller bodied variations go well with any fish and chicken

Blanc de Noir
Dry but more fruity than Brut, Made from Red grapes only. Aperitif, with lunch, desserts

Blanc de Blancs
Delicate dry wine made from white grapes only. Caviar, Chocolate truffles, lobster.

Next time when you visit ILNAM Estate ask for a wine suggestion to suit your meal selection.

The wine cellar is a place where the wine can rest and age gracefully. For this to occur wines should be
• Arranged orderly, so you can find your wine and keep a diary and tasting notes to identify changes in the wine
• Sleeping on their sides, the corks need to be kept moist as this will slow gas exchange through the cork and slow the rate of decay of the cork
• In the dark, wine will be damaged by constant UV light much the same way that UV will denature our skin and cause damage. The cellar is best lit with incandescent light

• In moist air, moist air or rather higher humidity will keep the outside of the cork moist reducing liquid exchange through the cork and helping to preserve the integrity of the cork itself. If storing in a cool room ensure that there is a humidifier as well as cool rooms operate at very low humidity
• Temperature constant, recent studies have shown that the temperature of the cellar should be constant more than a specific temperature as sudden changes in a wines temperature is a major cause of change in a wine and these changes usually cause a degradation of the wines quality
The main reason for establishing a cellar is to be able to enjoy developed wines in the future that to buy at the present value would be restrictive. A wine cellar should be an investment in your future enjoyment.

Which Wines to Cellar

Not all wines will benefit from ageing or cellaring. Early drinking or thin wines will age very quickly and oxidise readily causing heavy yellowing in fruity type whites and browning in reds in association with acetic acid (vinegar) being produced among other horrible and nasty type smells and tastes.
What to look for when considering to cellar wines or if they are cellaring well
• Deep rich coloured reds
• Full and exciting nose and palate. Aged reds may sometimes produce some nasty or volatile smells and these will usually blow off after letting the wine breath or by decanting
• Generous mouth feels, how are the tannins?
• Does the wine look bright and does it have a sparkle to it? Dull wines are indicative of wines that have a poor acid structure
• Wine should be clear. Impression of opacity is not a problem if you hold the wine to the light and can see that it is clear as wines stored in oak for long periods will take on some oak tannins and these give the wine a deeper almost opaque type look. Cloudy wines or not completely clear are a problem.
• Colour of the hue. The hue can be viewed by holding the wine glass over a white surface on a 45 degree angle and looking at the outer most rim of the wine. It is here that you will best see the condition of the wines colour. Orange, yellow or brown colours are indications of age and oxidation. In a young wine this indicates that it is ageing poorly and will not hold. A little in a 15 year old wine indicates that it is doing well and there may be no need to rush and finish your stock.

Good wines that are generally heavier styles and well estabilised, can continue to improve for many years creating smooth full wines. The primary fruit qualities transform into secondary ones (fruits become more savoury). Terms like full or heavy refer to the taste and appearance rather than the dictionary definition of the words.

If you have any more questions about how to cellar your new purchase feel free to ask one of our friendly staff at ILNAM.

Tasting Technique:

When assessing or appraising a wine we use four of our five senses:
* Vision (sight)
* Olfaction (smell)
* Degustation (taste)
* Tactile (feel)

1. Wine temperature should be 17 – 20ºC for reds and 10 – 12ºC for the whites. Wines served too cold will have some of the aroma lessened and reds will present harsh on the palate. Wines that are too warm will bring the alcohol into prominence

2. To appraise the wine, the glass should be clear and one quarter full.

3. Tilt the glass on a 45º angle away from you with a white background so that the visual assessment can be made. The stem of the glass should be held to provide for clear vision and to not overly warm the wine.

4. Swirl the wine in the glass several times so that the volatile chemicals, that give rise to the wines aroma and bouquet, can collect in the glass.

5. Smell the wine with 2-3 full quick sniffs. If you continually sniff the wine the smells will become confused. Most people can only detect 3-4 different smells at one time.

6. Make a written or mental note of the smells and your assessment of the wines aroma and bouquet.

7. Now take a generous mouthful, suck air through the wine, swirl it around the mouth so as to cover the mouth with the wine and if a formal tasting expectorate (spit) the wine and record your impressions (if this is not a formal tasting it would be a shame to complete the task as suggested). Predominant tastes and odours are best detected with the mouth empty as the volatile chemicals will rise through the retro-nasal passage (see diagram below). As the wine warms, swallowed vapours will rise up through to the retro-nasal passage again, for further odour detection. Many perceived tastes are indeed more a smell. To prove this try to taste the same wine while holding your nose closed and you will find the tastes you were able to detect difficult to find.

8. If tasting several wines place and taste them in a logical and orderly fashion from left to right.

Enjoy a personalised wine tasting experience at ILNAM Estate Winery.

ILNAM Estate is Australia’s most easterly situated winery and the only winery in Tweed Heads, so come enjoy something special this weekend.

Hands on wine bottling experience where participants will:
- Sterilise a bottle
- Fill it with wine from the bottler
- Cork the bottle
- Capsule the bottle
- Label and sign the special label as the Assistant Wine Maker
- The wine is yours to take home in a presentation pack with an official ILNAM
Estate wine tasting glass.
PLUS
-Taste up to 10 wines
Duration 1.5 hours
PRICE: $POA

-Tour of the winery
-Viewing wine making equipment and learning how wines are made
-Taste up to 10 wines
-Discussion about wines, winemaking and Q&A with a winemaker
-Receive an official ILNAM Estate wine tasting glass as a souvenir
Duration 1.5 hour
PRICE: $POA

-Taste up to 10 wines
-Brief explanation on wines
-Look through the winery and wine making equipment
-Walk in the vineyard and discuss deciduous plants
Duration 1 hour.
PRICE: $POA