Vinous

• By Josh Raynolds
  September/October 2011, IWC Issue #158 (link)

  (Bodegas Zifar Crianza Ribera del Duero) Subscribe to see review text.

i-WineReview.com

• Ribera del Duero II, 2/19/2011 (link)

  (Bodegas Zifar S.L. Zifar Ribera del Duero) Subscribe to see review text.

RJonWine.com

• By Richard Jennings
  7/10/2010 (link) 86 points

  (Bodegas Zifar Ribera del Duero Crianza) Opaque red violet color; baked berry, oak, vanilla nose; baked berry, baked beans palate with virtually no acidity; medium finish

Garagiste

• By Jon Rimmerman
  4/1/2008 (link)

  (ZIFAR) Zifar Dear Friends, Today was one of those days when everything clicked. I found more top wines today (in a single day) than in any other 24 hour period I can remember. It started with a friend of a friend who dragged me to a few areas of the Capital that few would venture into. Here (in this off the cuff local), the dark, cold cellars I had entered contained the personal collections and commercial inventory of some of the best merchants, distributors and winemakers in France. The bottles were eye-popping, but I had not come to ogle over 1900 Margaux or something as common as 1899 Romanee Conti. I was here to discover wine - Spanish wine. Spanish wine in a dark, industrial storage facility in Paris? Yes. It is here that one of the top underground suppliers plies his trade and his list of vintners is impressive to say the least. My mission was to taste and discuss a specific wine - the Ribera del Duero of Zifar and he had the only bottle I knew of in Paris. While completely unknown to the mainstream, Zifar already has the underground bubbling over with excitement and they’ve only produced 1-2 vintages. Think 1995 Pingus jr for the affordable set and it will be close. From outstanding parcels of organically grown and cultivated Tempranillo, this wine is a palate staining bowl of plums, dried grapes and blood orange coated bitter cocoa. It is not slathered in oak and it does have acidity (surprise). This is class in a huge package and the buckets of purple fruit are natural and not manipulated. Very long on the palate, this wine is something to remember. The Zifar is going to be popular - very popular. If it ever comes to the US under normal circumstances (i.e, in actual distribution) it should be as sought after as any of the top wines from Spain. For now, we will have to be satisfied with this miniscule allocation secured in a roundabout way. Due to limited quantities, I'll leave it at that... VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for top-tier quality at a bargain price EXTREMELY LIMITED 2005 Zifar Ribera del Duero Please give us your maximum number and we will allocate accordingly Thank you, Jon Rimmerman Garagiste Seattle, WA Spain7398