Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava NV

Penedès, Cataluña, Spain
$16-18 +158493 available at BC Liquor Stores & private liquor stores
www.seguraviudas.com

There are certain staples in my house, things that I couldn’t imagine not having stockpiles of. In fact, the thought of running out of one of these trevessentials makes me feel a bit peely-wally: flaked French sea salt, olive oil, espresso beans, soy milk and Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava.

Ahh – Cava. Spain’s equivalent to France’s champagne. A traditional method sparkling wine, treated with respect and time, and handled with skill. The word cava translates as “cellar”, indicative of where the bottles spend their lengthy aging spell. For this Reserva, a time in cava of three years. A cuvee of Macabeo (50%), Parellada (35%) and Xarel-lo (15%) grapes from the Alt Penedès region of Spain, this consistent, crisp and outstanding value wine has earned itself a following worldwide (and premium space in my fridge). Unfailingly dry and refreshing, the Brut Reserva has a lovely citrus, apple, floral and nut skin nose. Balanced and nimble on the palate with creamy mousse, SV has flavours of red and green apple, lemon, white honey and almonds. The clean, crisp and minerally finish lingers, inviting another glass (or three). If this was a $30 bottle of wine would it be as appealing? Perhaps not. But at the $16 mark, this bargain bottle of bubble is a steal (**and the stars below reflect that value!**) Start as an aperitif or with tapas, and don’t stop there.

The availability and consistency is a huge plus, and impressive considering the size of the operation. Established in the mid-1950s, Segura Viudas remains at the forefront of innovation while still adhering to the local winemaking traditions. The winery is currently owned by the Ferrer family who also own Freixenet, California’s Gloria Ferrer, and numerous other wineries in Spain, France, Australia and Chile. Quality control and attention to detail are priorities. An example – each individual bottle is computer scrutinized. If a flaw, such as an off-center label, is identified, the bottle is pulled and either repaired or discarded.

Since the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival starts later this month, and Spain is the theme region, DRINK will be profiling exclusively Spanish wines in the weeks leading up to the festival. Watch for tweets, postings, photos, tasting notes and features posted from the week-long festival. There are still tickets available to some events – and as one of the top wine festivals in the world, this is an opportunity you don’t want to miss. Ciao!

Rating:  (click here to see what our wine ratings mean)

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Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Brut Reserva Cava NV

A cuvee of Macabeo (50%), Parellada (35%) and Xarel-lo (15%) grapes from the Alt Penedès region of Spain, this consistent, crisp and outstanding value wine has earned itself a following worldwide (and premium space in my fridge). Unfailingly dry and refreshing, the Brut Reserva has a lovely citrus, apple, floral and nut skin nose. Balanced and nimble on the palate with creamy mousse, SV has flavours of red and green apple, lemon, white honey and almonds. The clean, crisp and minerally finish lingers, inviting another glass (or three). Start as an aperitif or with tapas, and don’t stop there.