Wine Ratings & Reviews

Please click on the links below for quick access to view the wine ratings and reviews for Segura Viudas sparkling wines.

Click here to view a clip for NBC's "Today Show" with guest Leslie Sbrocco and featuring Segura Viudas Aria and Segura Viudas Reserva Heredad.

Brut Reserva NV
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Our top choice, this reserve bubbly is full-bodied and rich-tasting, yet still crisp and clean. Like all Spanish cavas, it's aged in the bottle for maximum flavor."
-Good Housekeeping, January 2008, download full article

GOOD/VERY GOOD
"Serve this one at a party. It's clean, fruity and refreshing, with a nice underpinning of minerals. Very easy to drink."
- The Dow Jones Cava Index, The Wall Street Journal, July 15, 2005

88 POINTS
"Slightly sweet on the nose, the aromas of baked fruit, cream soda and vanilla are welcoming. Interestingly, the wine is a bit more tart and refined on the palate, where zesty but full apple and pear flavors run the show. Not lean but definitely streamlined and acidic. More of a food wine than a stand-along sipper."
- Wine Enthusiast, December 15, 2006

87 POINTS
"Aromas of stone fruits, lemon-lime and ripe citrus are crisp and welcoming. The palate follows the nose, offering lemon, lime and orange. Zesty yet easygoing; the quintessential cava quaff. Good for parties and receptions because it tastes right yet costs only 10 bills. Best Buy ."
- Wine Enthusiast, December 15, 2004

92 POINTS - EXCEPTIONAL VALUE
"Unexpectedly complex, this first hints at smoke, cocoa and dry spices, and that layering rolls into the taste as well. Forward, ripe apple fruitiness rises above a dry hint of apple skin, wrapping up in a citrus and mineral grip. Stylistically it's graceful and austere, perfect for simple grilled shellfish of any kind."
- Wine & Spirits, August 2003

"Light-bodied with excellent acidity, this Spanish sparkling wine (a.k.a. cava) is a great deal."
- "5 perfect holiday Sparkling Wines", FOOD & WINE, January 2007

"...Brut Reserva is the best Cava we tasted last year, regardless of price, a graceful, complex bubbly with dry apple flavors wrapped in smoke, spice and minerals..."
- Wine & Spirits June 2004

"You want champagne, but you're a cheapskate. Or young and poor. Buy this. Far more flavor and complexity than should be legal at this price."
- Jennifer Rosen, Special to the News, Rocky Mountain News, August 21, 2004

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Extra Dry
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89 POINTS - BEST BUYS
"A gem in the semisweet category, with touches of melon and banana on the nose. The palate pours on the sweet apple cider and warm citrus, while the finish is on the mark. This is a generous, no-brainer of a bubbly; Just uncork, pour, sip and smile."
- Wine Enthusiast, December 15, 2006

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Brut Rosé
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"Our bargain recommendation this week is the N.V. Segura Viudas Brut Rosé Cava from Spain. This bright-reddish-pink bubbly, aged in the bottle for one to two years, has coffeelike aromas. Its Old World earthiness and toastiness are well balanced by robust strawberry and raspberry flavors."
-The Washington Post, February 13, 2008

"Sip on something sexy like Segura Viudas Brut Rosé."
-H Texas Magazine, February 2008

"Valentine's Day is no time to be outrageous, so don't buy your sweetheart a bottle of mescal with a worm in it. It's time for delicacy, so what better than a sparkling rosé? A nice one is the vibrant Segura Viudas Brut Rosé Spanish Cava, which at $8 should leave you enough dough to throw in a box of chocolates."
-Chicago Magazine, February 2008

"Cavas tend to be excellent value despite the labor involved in making them. The Segura Viudas Brut Rosé Cava was no exception. It was a delightful dark pink color and had a tart, yeasty bouquet that introduced a crisp flavor loaded with cherries and cranberries. Its hearty bubbles tickled our noses and inflamed our fancies as we sipped it contentedly."
-AustinWoman, February 2008

"...Here is USA TODAY'S annual sparking wines and spirits gift guide emphasizing new products that offer good value and/or exceptional quality."
- "SIPS – In the spirit: A gift guide, $21 and under", Jerry Shriver, USA TODAY December 1, 2006

WINE OF THE DAY
- Erobertparker.com, March 14, 2007

87 POINTS
"The best value among these sparklers is the non-vintage Brut Rose. Salmon pink-colored, it exhibits an attractive yeasty, strawberry-scented nose and crisp, fruity flavors. It has surprising length for its price point."
- "The Independent Consumer's Guide to Fine Wines", Jay Miller, eRobertparker.com February 2007

87 POINTS
"Fresh and bright with dark pink color and lively berry fruit."
- Anthony Dias BLUE Reviews, PATTERSON'S BEVERAGE JOURNAL, February/March 2007

87 POINTS - BEST BUYS
"With its citrusy nose and well-balanced palate, this is what Best Buy sparklers are all about. Tangerine and orange peel grace the bouquet, while crisp flavors of berries and stone fruits win you over. A bit of strawberry and snap close the deal. Nice stuff."
- Wine Enthusiast, December 15, 2006

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Aria Estate Brut NV
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SUITED FOR THE SUPERBOWL
"...the lively N.V. Segura Viudas Aria Estate Brut Cava, lush with ripe-pear flavors, made in the traditional methode champenoise and a steal at $12, plus a great match for virtually everything on your Super Bowl buffet."
-The Washington Post, January 30, 2008

85 POINTS
-The Wine News, December/January 2007-08

90 POINTS - 100 TOP VALUES of the year
"An elegant Cava, this feels rich and composed. Its simple pearlike fruit integrates with the bubbles and the dosage, providing a clean, complete and satisfying length of flavor. Easy to enjoy on its own, yet substantial enough for veal sautéed with sage and mushrooms."
- Wine & Spirits, June 2007

90 POINTS - 100 BEST VALUES of the year Annual Buying Guide - Winter 2006
"An elegant Cava, this feels rich and composed. Its simple pearlike fruit integrates with the bubbles and the dosage, providing a clean, complete and satisfying length of flavor. Easy to enjoy on its own, yet substantial enough for veal sautéed with sage and mushrooms."
- Wine & Spirits, August 2006

89 POINTS - BEST BUY
"A classic cava from top to bottom. The nose offers familiar baked apple, mineral and saline aromas, while the palate is exceedingly fresh in its delivery of pineapple, apple and nectarine flavors. A fruity yet crisp number that foams up nicely on the palate but doesn’t lose its focus or form."
-Wine Enthusiast, December 15, 2006

88 POINTS - BEST BUY
Light and mildly yeasty, with aromatic hints of campfire marshmallow and scrambled eggs. Primed across the palate, with lively" acids propelling pure tangerine and lemon-pith flavors. Finished clean and crisp, with even more citrus. Best Buy."
-Wine Enthusiast, December 15, 2004

"Straw-gold hue. Pronounced aromas of apple and minerals. Vibrant flavors of pear, honeydew melon and a honey note. Crisp finish shows apple."
- The Wine News, December/January 2004-05

"A cava for a voyage to the spice islands; Anise, cinnamon and spiced apple are lifted to the lip of the glass by the soft, rising bubbles in this blend of macabeo (50 percent), xarel-lo (15) and parellada (35). The texture is lively, full of sweet apple fruit underlain by a lemon-lime briskness, and the flavors are wrapped in a gentle hint of sweetness. This calls out for the richness of pata negra ham or honey-rubbed spare-ribs."
- Wine & Spirits, August 2002

Champagne Time: Best Bubbles, Super Sparklers
"In Spanish cava, perfectly pleasant labels abound for $12 or under, including Freixenet...and Segura Viudas."
- "Holiday Wine: Walking in a Vintner's Wonderland" by Bryan Miller, NPR.ORG December 2006

"Cava is one of the world’s most versatile sparkling wines and a good value. It’s produced in several parts of Spain from the Paralleda, Macabeo, and Xarello grapes. Try the nonvintage Segura Aria Estate Brut...crisp and refreshing."
- Fine Cooking, December 2005/January 2006

"...Aria Estate Brut has a render creaminess and ethereal notes of citrus and spice; it’s as easy to drink as it is to buy at $12."
- Wine & Spirits, June 2004

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Aria Estate Extra Dry NV
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88 POINTS - BEST BUY
"This rendition of Segura Viudas’s off-dry bubbly is nice and yeasty, with plenty of baked apple pie and buttered toast on the nose. The palate is spunky but round, with semi-sweet flavors of apples and ripe nectarines. Shows some complexity and depth on the finish as well as a richness that makes it to all corners of your mouth."
- Wine Enthusiast, December 15, 2006

Segura Viudas named VALUE BRAND OF THE YEAR
"The light, elegant Aria Estate Extra Dry Cava shows off the house style with its refined bubbles and fresh fruit flavors."
- Wine & Spirits, June 2006

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Aria Pinot Noir
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87 POINTS
"Deep in color, falling somewhere between copper and red. The nose is forward as could be, with raspberry and a strong hint of orange blossom. Solid across the palate, with dry berry flavors and a powerful edge of pepper. Based on Pinot Noir; you can taste the essence of that variety at is core."
- Wine Enthusiast, December 15, 2006

87 POINTS
"Plump and nice, with watermelon aromas that match the wine's watermelon hue. Made from Pinot Noir, Aria carries a mild hint of sweetness along with drier berry and peach-pit flavors. And on the finish you get a clear smack of Pinot-driven cherry skin to offset its richness. Perfect for brunch, as an accompaniment to a mushroom-and-cheese omelet, while that noted touch of sweetness gives it the versatility to go with dessert."
- Wine Enthusiast, November 15, 2005

"Another pretty-in-pink sparkler is the NV Segura Viudas Aria Pinot Noir Cava Brut. Made in the Cava area of northeastern Spain outside of Barcelona, this pink dry wine is 100 percent Pinot Noir. Floral aromas are layered with strawberry and black cherry flavors. A chic black bottle with stylish hot pink lettering on the label completes the package, making it an ideal gift."
- Leslie Sbrocco, San Francisco Chronicle February 9, 2006

Reserva Heredad NV
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87 POINTS
"Elegant scents of bread dough, vanilla and lemon cream. Juicy flavors of white peach and lemon custard. Crisp acidity and peach notes in the long finish."
-The Wine News, December/January 2007-08

The High Roller
"Your man will love pouring bubbly from this regal-looking vesel, hand-blown glass set in a pewter base. The lemon-and-apple scented cava is so tasty, he'll never know you paid a fraction of the price of his usual champagne."
-Everyday with Rachael Ray, February 2008, download full article

90 POINTS, EDITOR'S CHOICE
"The king of the Segura Viudas line comes out the gate a bit heavy, with mineral, slate and iodine aromas along with citrus rind and yeast. But it gets better with air, as bready, richer characteristics appear. Only modestly tangy on the finish, with far more complexity than the average cava delivers."
- Wine Enthusiast , December 15, 2004

90 POINTS
"Whiff this and you might think you'd walked into a brioche bakery. The flavors suggest green apple moving toward ripe mango, and are marked by an intriguing clay-like undertone. A good choice for scallops sautéed with lemongrass."
- Wine & Spirits , August 2004

89 POINTS
"Regal in presentation, with its faux-metal label and broad-based bottle. And in every edition it's one of Spain's more elegant, serious cavas. Look for slightly toasted, charcoal-based aromas backed by ripe apple and sweet citrus flavors. Very good feel and length. One of Spain's truly consistent high-end bubblies."
- Wine Enthusiast, June 2006

Let the affordable spirits move you this season
- USA Today, December 6, 2002

"Light and fresh with good fruit and a good finish... De Rosa liked its yeasty quality and good acidity. Banks found simple aromas but enjoyed its long finish. Prial called it a professional job."
- "They're Not Champagne, but They Sparkle", Frank Prial, New York Times, June 25, 2003

Best of Tasting:
This wine won raves for its balance and abundant flavors. It was John Wabeck's favorite wine all day. Tasting notes: "Chardonnay character comes through, a great food sparkling"; "pretty nose [of] rose petals"; "nutty, creamy, crème brulee"; "could be a vintage Champagne."
-The Examiner Tasting Panel: Sparkling wines that won't break the bank, San Francisco Examiner, December 14, 2006

"If you're stocking up for a gathering of friends and family this holiday season, buy another Spanish star, NV Segura Viudas Reserva Cava Brut ($10). Part of the portfolio of wines owned by the Ferrer family of Barcelona (including the well-known Freixenet and Sonoma-based Gloria Ferrer brands), Segura Viudas is a historic property located in Spain's cava country. This fruit-driven sparkler made with Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel-lo showcases an underlying earthy note that adds complexity."
- "Buy affordable bubbly for a friend, or quaff it yourself", Leslie Sbrocco, San Francisco Chronicle, December 15, 2005

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