Represents the expense recognized during the period arising from equity-based compensation arrangements (for example, shares of stock, unit, stock options or other equity instruments) with employees, directors and certain consultants qualifying for treatment as employees.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 718

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5047-113901

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 718

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (h)(1)(i)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 123R

-Paragraph A240

-Subparagraph g(1)

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 718

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 14.F)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6793087&loc=d3e301413-122809

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)

-Number Topic 14

-Section F

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 123R

-Paragraph 64

-Subparagraph b

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Description of the period of time over which an employee's right to exercise an award is no longer contingent on satisfaction of either a service condition, market condition or a performance condition, which may be expressed in a variety of ways (for example, in years, month and year).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 123R

-Paragraph A240

-Subparagraph a

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 718

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (a)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardAwardVestingPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	us-types:durationStringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Description of award terms as to how many shares or portion of an award are no longer contingent on satisfaction of either a service condition, market condition or a performance condition, thereby giving the employee the legal right to convert the award to shares, to sell the shares, and be entitled to the cash proceeds of such sale. For example, vesting may be expressed as being 25 percent of the shares under option on each anniversary of the grant date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardAwardVestingRights
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Expected Stock Based Compensation For Remaining Current Period

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	uvv_ExpectedStockBasedCompensationForRemainingCurrentPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	uvv_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award Award Expiration Period

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	uvv_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardAwardExpirationPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	uvv_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Share based compensation arrangement by share based payment award award expiration period following retirement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	uvv_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardAwardExpirationPeriodFollowingRetirement
Namespace Prefix:	uvv_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Shares Paid Under PSA Grants Range Percentage Of Stated Award

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	uvv_SharesPaidUnderPsaGrantsRangePercentageOfStatedAward
Namespace Prefix:	uvv_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Stock-Based Compensation (Narrative) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation expense	$ 4.6	$ 4.8
Additional stock-based compensation expense expected in the current fiscal year	$ 1.2
Outside Directors [Member] \| Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Vesting period, in years	three
Officer [Member] \| Stock Appreciation Rights (SARs) [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Description of award vesting rights for SARs	vest in equal one-third tranches one, two, and three years after the grant date
Expiration period following grant date, in years	10
Officer [Member] \| Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Vesting period, in years	five
Officer [Member] \| Performance Share Awards (PSAs) [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Vesting period, in years	three
Officer [Member] \| Minimum [Member] \| Performance Share Awards (PSAs) [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Percentage of award grant paid	0.00%
Officer [Member] \| Maximum [Member] \| Performance Share Awards (PSAs) [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Percentage of award grant paid	150.00%
Plans After Fiscal 2007 [Member] \| Officer [Member] \| Stock Appreciation Rights (SARs) [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Expiration period following grant date, in years	10
Expiration period following grantee retirement, in years	3
Plans During And Prior To Fiscal 2007 [Member] \| Stock Options [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Expiration period following grant date, in years	10