This iconic question is easily answered by lovers of sparkling water, but whilst many people nominate S. Pellegrino as their mineral water of choice, it is likely they are unaware of this famous drink’s backstory.
Hidden in the Lombard Alps, in the town of S. Pellegrino Terme near Bergamo, are the natural springs that produce this popular mineral water.
As easy as it is to quickly consume a whole bottle of sparkling water over dinner, it surprisingly takes a whole 30 years for S. Pellegrino mineral water to actually get from the springs to the table.
The water begins as snow or rain atop the Dolomite Alps and then slowly trickles down the Alps for many years, enriching itself with natural minerals like calcium, nitrogen and sodium.
There are at least 10 minerals that are naturally found in the water and these contribute to S. Pellegrino’s distinctive taste.
Originally, S. Pellegrino mineral water was bottled without bubbles, but when the company began shipping the water around the world they chose to carbonate it to preserve the minerals.
Customers preferred the flavour of the water with bubbles, so S. Pellegrino stopped selling the non-carbonated version.
The company is very protective of its precious springs and, consequently, a team of trained geologists and hydrologists work hard to monitor and maintain the health of the springs and the quality of the water.
Notably, only authorised people can access the springs.
There is a law that states that S. Pellegrino water must be bottled at the source and cannot undergo any treatment except for carbonation, which is added in a natural mine.
Every single bottle comes from the same facility in Lombardy, Italy, and the water must pass several stages of quality control and health checks before it is shipped around the world.
In 1899, the year that the springs were founded, the company produced 35,343 bottles of mineral water.
Today, S. Pellegrino produces more than 30,000 bottles every hour!
In the town of S. Pellegrino Terme, you can bathe in thermal springs that come from the same source as the famous sparkling water.
QC Terme San Pellegrino was recently renovated and boasts thermal pools, tonic waterfalls, saunas, steam baths and salt and relaxation rooms.
These thermal springs are rich in bicarbonate sulphate, calcium and magnesium and flow purely through layers of rock.
The town, S. Pellegrino Terme, is also known for its Grand Hotel and S. Pellegrino Casino; however, these beautiful monuments are only open for special events.
The water bottle’s label features the casino building of S. Pellegrino Terme against the backdrop of the Alps.
The red star, which also features on the label, symbolises the water’s high quality.
Now, every time you sip on a glass of mineral water, think of S. Pellegrino’s rich history and the process it goes through to get to your mouth.
Cheers!
