French sell ‘luxury’ mineral water for the price of wine
Not since Jesus has anyone been credited with turning water into wine but entrepreneurs are now marketing “luxury” mineral waters at the price of a decent merlot or sometimes even a good champagne.
La Sasse, an Alpine mineral water from a spring near the Megève ski resort, costs €9.90 a bottle in Paris. Order it in a restaurant and you’ll pay up to €18.
Benoît Szymanski, the sales director of La Sasse, acknowledged that it had no special taste or mineral content, but said it was exceptionally pure. “It’s an experience that we’re offering. It’s as if you’re a kid, cupping your hands to drink from a mountain stream.”
Its grooved glass bottle, designed by a local craftsman, is partly why it is more expensive than supermarket brands. “The philosophy is to have a container that’s as exceptional as the contents,” he told France 2 television.
A number of companies outside France have also invested in the concept of luxury water.
Advertisement
Bling H20, an American brand, comes in a frosted glass bottle decorated with Swarovski crystals. It sells for around €50 a bottle, while Svalbardi “polar ice water” from northern Norway is priced at €56.
Water is increasingly seen as important in haute cuisine, and gourmets claim that a poorly chosen mineral water can spoil a dish or the wine paired with it.
Alexis Durand, a “water sommelier” who runs Watershop, a Paris store specialising in expensive mineral waters, said: “It’s like wine, there are waters for all tastes. Some mineral waters don’t go with wines at all, and should be avoided, just as you must absolutely avoid sparkling water with red wine. It’s a heresy to drink a good Burgundy alongside a sparkling water, but it happens very often.”
He said highly mineralised waters pair well with red meat and dishes with sauces, while a less mineralised water is more suitable for fish or sea food.
He acknowledged, however, that the price was not necessarily the important factor in choosing a mineral water. “There isn’t really much difference in the quality of the water. It’s the bottle you’re paying for,” he told The Times.
Durand, whose customers include five-star hotels, sells several brands favoured by celebrities including Lionel Messi, Madonna, and Tom Cruise. They are more expensive than supermarket brands but none cost more than a few euros a bottle.
According to connoisseurs, the world’s most expensive mineral water is Acqua di Cristallo Tributo a Modigliani, which is presented in 24-carat gold bottles, each costing about €54,000.
Prefer to stick to plonk? See the latest offers from The Sunday Times Wine Club