Bridge Road Brewers ‘Biere de Wilde’ A.Rodda BDG

Rating:

14907106_593399420844207_7596837278270982912_n“Adrian Rodda (A.Rodda) has been involved in making wine since 1998, spending more than a decade at Oakridge Wines. Adrian, then moved to Beechworth, and has being producing wines with fruit from the Smiths Vineyard, which is the oldest established vineyard in Beechworth. The quality of the A.Rodda portfolio has been consistently excellent.”

Served in a beer tulip. Our aggressive pour didn’t yield much head as it immediately vanishes and reveals the candy red hue beneath. A frenetic twirl of the glass conjures up some really complex aromas. Similar to the Sorrenberg version the A.Rodda also provides a heady oak mustiness from the French barrel aging process. A firm wine tannin works its way through, hinting at Pinot noir or Merlot in its delivery. We also get a scent of minerals that lends a slight saltiness to the nose. Strange. We much rather the Sorrenberg version so far. The mouth feel is smooth, low in Co2 but quite high in acidity and a touch sour while the 7.6% ABV creeps in a bit with a penetrating warmth in the swallow. The flavour profile mimmicks the Sorrenberg with its woody/oaky tannins, slight vinegar tartness and ripe dark fruits up front. The middle hits a somewhat sweet note with toffee malts and stewed plums that lead in to the delicately dry, fruity and musty finish. She endures well on the back end too, developing a rich fruit complexity the longer it sits. It’s always tough stacking one beer up against another but we feel on the grounds of character, aroma and flavour the Sorrenberg wins. On any other day this is a decent BDG and should certainly be respected. Not bad.