Tide rising with water sparkling

It's been a fixed pattern for long that sparkling water and mineral water are for Western cuisine, while Chinese cuisine goes better with tea. But now producers predict that sparkling water will be a trend among the Chinese consumers soon.

"The food is different, but the approach to the food and culture is similar. The Chinese consumers are very sensitive. I think more and more of them are paying attention to the quality and the origin of water," said Fabio Degli Esposti, international business unit director of San Pellegrino, the leading Italian mineral water brand originated in 1899.

"San Pellegrino is sparkling water with middle-size bubbles, so it's not very aggressive," he said. "It's very important to let the consumers experience the water, so the tasting is very important for us."

Last week, the company held a tasting dinner in Shanghai and invited Ethan Tian, a renowned sommelier in China and the food and beverage manager of InterContinental Hotels Group Greater China, to coach diners on pairing the mineral water with fine wine and Chinese dishes.

The tasting of water is very similar to that of wines, which includes observing, smelling and tasting. But the tools are different.

Since water is an extremely delicate product, the glasses should be made of thin glass, particularly around the rim, and they should not have sharp edges or stems. A stemless glass allows for a slight degree of heating, which facilitates the evaporation of aroma molecules with a high molecular weight.

"Mineral water helps to clear the palate and get the palate ready for the next course. Its rich minerals also have a very good digestion effect," Tian said.

In the five-course dinner, mineral water was served at different temperatures to stimulate different reactions on the palate.

For instance, the first hot dish, braised seafood soup, was paired with Clarence Dillon Clarendelle White 2010 and San Pellegrino at 8 C.

"Sparkling water at 8 C has more mineral taste and you can sense more body of the water. It matches perfectly with the Bordeaux Blanc," he explained.

However, for the baked beefsteak with black pepper sauce and red wine, he chose Peter Lehmann Eight Songs Shiraz 2005 and San Pellegrino at room temperature.

"The wine has spicy, mocha and fruits smell on the nose and has a heavy body on the palate. If the water is served chilled, it would form unpleasant contrast," he said.

For some dishes, still mineral water can be a better choice.

For instance, the wok-fried shrimp ball in chili sauce was paired with Robert Weil Rheingau Riesling Tradition 2010 and Acqua Panna, an upscale still-water brand.

"The riesling, which is sweet and of high acidity, is always good for Asian food, especially spicy dishes. And Acuqa Panna is light, fresh and elegant. The wine and the water will not overpower each other," he said.

San Pellegrino is sold in 130 countries in the world, with the United States, Germany, France and Italy being its largest markets.

"Currently the China market contributes about 5 percent to the global volume, but we believe China will play a major role for us in the future," says Esposti.