102 | squaremeal.co.uk
There's an imposter at the dinner
table. It's tall and clear, with a
variety of di� erent disguises, and
apparently it can ruin your wine
and food match. I'm not talking
about a grumpy sommelier, but
an innocent-looking bottle of
water. When we order food
and wine, we take our time -
especially if it's an expensive
a� air. Which dish sounds
delicious? Which wine will be
the perfect match? But water is something
we often order without a second thought,
even though experts claim it has the potential
to make or break a wine and food match.
So how do you avoid a dinner disaster?
It's all in the minerals.
'Mineral water is the very de nition of
terroir,' says Michael Tanousis, who runs
specialist water company Aqua Amore.
Water absorbs minerals speci c to its source
and di� erent minerals give water a di� erent
feel and, yes, even a di� erent taste. Some
come out of the ground zzy and others are
machine carbonated. All of these factors have
a direct impact on taste, believes Tanousis.
And don't even get him started on tap water
- which after a tasting ight of mineral waters
can be detected easily by its chlorine smell.
He's not alone in his observations. San
Pellegrino brand ambassador Neil Phillips,
who also happens to be a wine expert,
believes it's worth investing in mineral
water rather than opting for tap. 'I want
diners to get more out of their experience.
Water can have quite an e� ect.'
Not convinced? San Pellegrino and Acqua
Panna have produced a rather fancy Water
Codex to show people what e� ect water
has on the taste of wine. They asked 11
sommeliers to share their ideal water and
wine pairing. Evan Lambert, former president
of the American Sommelier Association, pairs
a Sonoma Chardonnay with Acqua Panna,
which is low-acid and carries few mineral
salts. He says the water 'helps bring out the
wine's structure and the pleasing notes of
freshness, a rming a well-proportioned
balance and wholesome personality'.
Phillips believes San Pellegrino is great with
Malbec. 'It has more minerality and structure
and it helps soften tannins.
'It's up to us to help people recognise how
many taste buds they have and all of the
avours they can taste,' urges Phillips. And
wine is not the only tipple to be transformed
by the mighty H2O. Have a look at the box
below to see how water behaves with whisky.
Food for thought
Top chefs also display a thirst for quality
when it comes to water - and it's terroir's
e� ect on taste that attracts the big guns.
Alain Roux from three Michelin-starred
The Waterside Inn at Bray is among familiar
restaurant brand Hildon's champions. This
natural mineral water from the chalk
hills in Test Valley, Hampshire, is low in
sodium, with high calcium levels.
Roux says, 'I wanted to serve water that
matched the dishes we create here. It had to
be naturally pure, cool and refreshing in taste,
and totally consistent in quality.'
Meanwhile, global Japanese restaurant
brand Nobu is a long-time
partner of Fiji water. This
ultra-pure tipple lters through
volcanic rock in its namesake
country, gathering minerals,
including silica, which gives it
a pristine taste, while naturally occurring
electrolytes are said to boost hydration.
So there's clearly more to the clear stu�
than meets the eye. Next time you go out
for dinner, take more water with it.
sourcecodeWater's journey from its natural origin to the
dinner table adds character that can make or
break a food and wine match WORDS LUCY BRITNER
THE SPIRIT OF WATER
Graeme Lindsay, founder of water company Uisge, worked in the
whisky industry for 10 years and often found himself advocating water
as a 'way to open whisky up'. Now, he sells special packs that contain
source water from Speyside, Islay and the Highlands.
The area of Speyside in Scotland is famous for its 'soft' water and this
could account for the sheer volume of whisky distilleries in the area - more
than half the total number of distilleries in Scotland. With all this e� ort
going into making whisky, it's amazing so little attention is paid to dilution.
Islay water is relatively high in acidity, which Lindsay says is down to its ltration through
the island's famous peat. Some Highlands distilleries use what is considered 'hard' water.
'It's ltered through brittle rock so it picks up more minerals,' he says. By contrast, Speyside
water is softer because it makes its journey to the surface through tough granite. Therefore,
Speyside water doesn't pick up as many minerals as Highland water.
'It's the minerality and the pH that react with whisky in di� erent ways,' says Lindsay. 'You
can amplify the taste of whisky.' Di� erent source waters can also bring out di� erent notes in
the same whisky, and Lindsay urges drinkers to play around.
If you want to experiment with whisky and water for yourself, you can buy the waters from
Master of Malt. £4.30 each (£4.35 for Islay); masterofmalt.com
ILLUSTRATION: SUSAN BERGHART
Islay water is relatively high in acidity, which Lindsay says is down to its ltration through
DIFFERENT MINERALS GIVE WATER A DIFFERENT
FEEL AND YES, EVEN A DIFFERENT TASTE