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    The winner of the Best Water in the World for Wine tasting – KUOHU DEEP ROCK 200

    Few people realize that at the tables where we enjoy fine wines and delicious food, there is an inconspicuous killer of flavors – water.  

     The water is commonly consumed during the meals. Its function is to rinse the palate and prepare it for the next mouthful of food or a sip of wine. In purpose to rinse the palate and not affect on the taste of food or wine, the water should be as neutral as possible. In order to aim for the harmonious wine experiences, Tastingbook's experts decided to organise a water tasting to find out what is the best possible water to accompany wines. 

    We asked from our Tastingbook pros the waters to be included to the tasting and we ended up on a shortlist of seven waters with chosen by the host of the event, sommelier Juha Lihtonen. The waters were tasted half-blind first side by side each other and then exclusively with the wines. 

    To get more comprehend understanding of how the water affects on the taste experience of a wine, we decided to taste the waters next to premium category wines of various styles – two different style champagnes, an unoaked and oaked white wine and one red wine.

     

    The wines in the tasting:

    Krug Grande Cuvée 163ème Édition Brut, Champagne

    Bollinger R.D. 1996, Champagne

    Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile 2002, Alsace

    Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Chassagne-Montrachet 2008, Burgundy

    Torbreck RunRig Shiraz 1998, Barossa Valley

     

    The waters in the tasting:

    Aqua Panna (Italy)

    Fiji (Fiji) Icelandic Glacial (Iceland)

    Evian Natural Still (France)

    Kuohu Deep Rock (Finland)

    *Nordaq (filtered Finland tap water) 

    Vellamo Still (Finland)

    Voss Still (Norway)

     

    *Nordaq was included in the tasting as it is widely preferred water solution by hundreds of fine dining restaurants around the world. The softness of water depends on the quality of the water in different locations. This water was filtered from the soft neutral water of Päijänne, Finland.  

     

    The tasting procedure

    The wine was first tasted after which the mouth was rinsed with one water brand at the time. After this, we evaluated how water affected to the aftertaste of the wine. The same was repeated after tasting each wine with different water brands.

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    The results

    The tasting was a real eye-opener as it really matters what water is served next to wines. The taste effect can be related to the choice of glassware, which has dramatic effect on how we sense the wines.

    In this tasting, there was a clear winner, Kuohu Deep Rock 200, which rinsed the palate but let the aftertaste of the wine linger in each of the tasted wines smoothly and harmoniously. 

    Icelandic Glacial and Voss waters complimented the wines also well ending up to the second and third place. The other waters were good themselves, but were less favourable for the wines as the increased the astringent sensation of the wines’. The reason for this is on the nutritional content of the waters. The higher amount of the total dissolved solids (TDS) makes water harder and highlights the phenolics in wine. This makes wine taste more aggressive and the aftertaste is less harmonious. All of the podium waters had very low TDS levels. The pH has also an effect on how the aftertaste turns out. The lower the water pH is, more astringent sensation the wine leaves on palate and in aftertaste. 

     

    RANKING RESULTS - to get more info about the winner, just click it:

    1. Kuohu Deep Rock (Finland) – 5/5
    2. Icelandic Glacial (Iceland) – 4+/5
    3. Voss Still (Norway) – 4/5
    4. Vellamo Still (Finland) – 3/5
    5. *Nordaq (filtered Finland tap water) – 2.5/5
    6. Aqua Panna (Italy) – 2+/5
    7. Fiji (Fiji) – 1.5/5
    8. Evian Natural Still (France) – 1.5/5
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    Tasting Notes

    TASTING NOTES (Points in braquets)

    1. Kuohu Deep Rock 200 (5/5)

    The water filtered by the 3 billion years old bedrock in Kuohu village at Petäjävesi in the middle of Finland. The artesian water comes from 200 metres depth in the natural spring.

    Taste: Broad and viscous, velvety smooth, oily-like, tranquil water with good weight on palate.

    An effect on wine after rinsing the palate with water:

     

    Krug Grande Cuvée 163ème Édition Brut 

    The water rinsed the palate, but in the aftertaste the flavours of Krug were echoing. 

     

    Bollinger R.D. 1996

    The water rinsed the palate, but in the aftertaste Bollinger flavours were echoing harmoniously.  

     

    Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile 2002

    The water rinsed the palate, but in the aftertaste wine was still showing its character. 

     

    Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Chassagne-Montrachet 2008

    The water rinsed the palate, but wine showed still well the buttery and fine spicy oaky characteristics in the aftertaste. 

     

    Torbreck RunRig Shiraz 1998

    The water cleared the palate but left the wine’s delicious spiciness and elegant flavours lingering harmoniously in the long aftertaste.

     

     

    2. Icelandic Glacial (4+/5)

    The water is filtered slowly for 5,000 years through lava rock in natural spring Ölfus, which is the world's largest natural spring.

    Taste: Fresh, tranquil and smoothly soft water that refreshes the palate and has a lingering aftertaste.

     

    An effect on wine after rinsing the palate with water:

     

    Krug Grande Cuvée 163ème Édition Brut

    The acidity in champagne was slightly amplified and the aftertaste was disappearing.

     

    Bollinger R.D. 1996

    The sensation of acidity and yeastiness in champagne stood out and the aftertaste remained slightly austere. 

     

    Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile 2002

    The intensity of the wine was strong enough to carry still on in the aftertaste.

     

    Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Chassagne-Montrachet 2008

    The aftertaste of the wine turned bit more woody.

     

    Torbreck RunRig Shiraz 1998

    The richness of the wine with lingering aftertaste managed to still shine through in the end. The tannins were slightly more accentuated.

     

     

    3. Voss (4/5)

    The water is filtered by the rock and ice in Vatnestrøm village in southern tip of Norway.

    Taste: Fresh, crisp and soft water that refreshes the palate and lingers long in the aftertaste.

     

    An effect on wine after rinsing the palate with water:

     

    Krug Grande Cuvée 163ème Édition Brut

    The fresh acidity in champagne was slightly muted by the water and the aftertaste of champagne turned out less vibrant.

     

    Bollinger R.D. 1996

    The fresh acidity in champagne was slightly muted by the water and toasty yeastiness of champagne took a stand in the aftertaste.

     

    Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile 2002

    The wine showed its flavours still in the aftertaste despite wine felt bit heavier after the water.

     

    Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Chassagne-Montrachet 2008

    The aftertaste of the wine showed less vibrant and vivid after the water.

     

    Torbreck RunRig Shiraz 1998

    On aftertaste the wine showed more heavy ripe fruit notes and less vibrancy.

     

     

    4. Vellamo (3/5)

    The water from the Ice Age comes from the morene ridges of Salpausselkä in Finland from naturally mineral rich spring in Heinola, Finland.

    Taste: Rich and round alkaline water on palate with intense yet subtle mineral texture.

    An effect on wine after rinsing the palate with water:

     

    Krug Grande Cuvée 163ème Édition Brut

    The mineral rich alkaline water rinsed the palate enhanced the champagne’s mineral sensation on aftertaste.

     

    Bollinger R.D. 1996

    The water rinsed the palate and boosted yeasty and nutty flavours of Bollinger in the aftertaste.

     

    Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile 2002

    The water stripped delicately the wine from its flavours, leaving mouthdrying mineral aftertaste. 

     

    Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Chassagne-Montrachet 2008

    The intense mineral content of the water enhanced the oakiness in wine flavours and left mouthdrying aftertaste.

     

    Torbreck RunRig Shiraz 1998

    The water rinsed the rich wine flavours on palate and highlighted its tannins, toastiness and spiciness. 

     

     

    5. Nordaq (2.5/5)

    The Swedish patented tapped and capped on-site filtered water technology to provide premium, sustainable end-to-end water solutions Taste: Fresh, gentle and tranquil water that refreshes the palate.

    Taste: Fresh, gentle and tranquil water that refreshes the palate.

    An effect on wine after rinsing the palate with water:

     

    Krug Grande Cuvée 163ème Édition Brut

    The water rinsed the palate gently but shortened the aftertaste of the champagne. 

     

    Bollinger R.D. 1996

    The water rinsed the palate gently but shortened the aftertaste of the champagne.

     

    Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile 2002

    The water rinsed the palate gently but reduced the flavours of the wine.

     

    Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Chassagne-Montrachet 2008

    The water rinsed the palate gently but brought up the phenolic of the wine in the aftertaste.

     

    Torbreck RunRig Shiraz 1998

    The water rinsed the palate gently but made the aftertaste bit harder with tannic and oak sensation.

     

    6. Aqua Panna (2/5)

    The natural spring water that filters through the gently rolling Apennine mountain hills in north of Florence in Tuscany.

    Taste: Fresh, alkaline water that refreshes the palate and has a lingering aftertaste.

    An effect on wine after rinsing the palate with water:

     

    Krug Grande Cuvée 163ème Édition Brut

    The acidity in champagne was slightly amplified and the aftertaste was disappearing.

     

    Bollinger R.D. 1996

    The sensation of acidity and yeastiness in champagne stood out and the aftertaste remained slightly austere. 

     

    Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile 2002

    The intensity of the wine was strong enough to carry still on in the aftertaste.

     

    Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Chassagne-Montrachet 2008

    The aftertaste of the wine turned bit more woody.

     

    Torbreck RunRig Shiraz 1998

    The richness of the wine with lingering aftertaste managed to still shine through in the end. The tannins were slightly more accentuated.

     

     

    7. Fiji (1.5/5)

    The artesian water that is slowly filtered by volcanic rock from Viti Levu island in Fiji.

    Taste: Round, moderately hard alkaline water that has a stuffy plastic bottle nose. Less refreshing sensation compared to other waters.

    An effect on wine after rinsing the palate with water:

     

    Krug Grande Cuvée 163ème Édition Brut

    The water rinses the palate but amplifies the phenolics in champagne and leaves a bit blunt aftertaste.

     

    Bollinger R.D. 1996

    The phenolic sensation of champagne stands out and the aftertaste is subdued and arid. 

     

    Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile 2002

    The water rinses the palate and aftertaste leaving the wine muted.

     

    Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Chassagne-Montrachet 2008

    The water accentuates the oak and toasty notes of the wine and the finish is stale.

     

    Torbreck RunRig Shiraz 1998

    The water rinses the palate and breaks the aftertaste of the wine leaving the mouthdrying tannic sensation on palate.

     

    8. Evian (1.5/5)

    The water from Evian-les-Bains on French Alps filters through glaciers and rocks for 15 years before being bottled.

    Taste: Fresh, mineral intense water that refreshes the palate and has a gently mineral yet quite neutral aftertaste.

    An effect on wine after rinsing the palate with water:

     

    Krug Grande Cuvée 163ème Édition Brut

    The water hardens the sensation on palate and the aftertaste of champagne is overtaken.

     

    Bollinger R.D. 1996

    The water rinses the palate but generates austerity in the aftertaste. 

     

    Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile 2002

    The water rinses the palate and restrains the aftertaste of the wine leaving a mouthdrying finish.

     

    Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Chassagne-Montrachet 2008

    The mineral content of the water enhances the mouthdrying oaky and spicy characteristics of the wine and the shortens the aftertaste of the wine. 

     

    Torbreck RunRig Shiraz 1998

    The water highlights the phenolics of the wine on palate leaving a mouthdrying finish with tannic sensation on the palate. 

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    NUTRITIONAL CONTENTS OF THE WATERS

    WATER

    KUOHU     

       ICELANDIC 

    VOSS

    VELLAMO

    AQUA PANNA

    FIJI

    EVIAN

     

    mg/l

    mg/l

    mg/l

    mg/l

    mg/l

    mg/l

    mg/l

    Calcium

    9,6

    6

    2,7

    51

    33

    18

    80

    Magnesium

    0,7

    2

    0,61

    13

    7

    15

    26

    Potassium

    0,55

    1

    0

    4

    1

    5

    1

    Sodium

    2,7

    11

    3

    85

    7

    17

    6,5

    Nitrates

    0,41

    0,02

    0

    <1

    5,7

    0,27

    3,8

    Bicarbonates

    40

    35

    <20

    210

    100

    152

    360

    Sulfates

    4,7

    3

    0

    27

    21

    2

    14

    Silica

    14

    0

    1

    14

    7

    93

    15

    Chlorides

    1,4

    2

    3,8

    110

    7

    11

    10

    pH

    6,8

    8,4

    5,8

    8,3

    8,2

    7,7

    7,2

    TDS

    54

    62

    40

    519

    188

    222

    357

    Hardness

    14

    23

    14

    180

    103

    105

    291

     

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