The Top Bottled Waters of 2025, Ranked by Water Sommeliers

Earlier this 12 months, Fine Waters — a worldwide platform devoted to the curation and appreciation of premium bottled water — introduced its 2025 Taste & Design Awardsnaming the most effective bottled waters from all over the world. The complete competitors, which evaluated greater than 100 entries from 35 international locations, was held through the group’s annual summit in Atlanta and introduced collectively water professionals from throughout the trade.

Founded by Michael MaschhaFine Waters is constructed round the concept that water, like wine, has terroir — a novel sense of place that influences its style, texture, and mineral composition.

Mascha, who started exploring the nuances of bottled water after his physician warned him that he may not proceed ingesting wine, wrote on the Fine Waters website that “By paying thoughtful attention to what I was drinking, I discovered the world of fine bottled water. As I started drinking different waters during a single meal, apparent differences emerged.”

Today, Fine Waters serves as each a hub for water connoisseurs and an academic useful resource for anybody curious in regards to the premium bottled water class — from sourcing and sustainability to pairing strategies. And on the group’s annual Taste & Design Awards, professionals within the trade come collectively to call the most effective bottles of the 12 months.

A panel of six knowledgeable judges, together with licensed water sommeliers and water educators, weighed the highest manufacturers in every class. Here’s precisely what the judges have been in search of.

Which water manufacturers gained large this 12 months?

Antipodes and Pure Oneeach hailing from New Zealand, took high honors within the low and medium minerality nonetheless classes, respectively.

Notably, Soco from Peru took the highest spots for each nonetheless and glowing amongst waters with very excessive ranges of minerality. The water is sourced from the snowmelt of the Chachani volcano in Arequipa, Peru, which ultimately surfaces at a free-flowing spring. Fine Waters suggests pairing the bubbly model with applewood-smoked fish.

On the opposite finish of the spectrum, the low-sodium and low-minerality Wossa obtained reward for the fifth year in a row, profitable the gold amongst nonetheless, ultra-low minerality waters. It’s “surprisingly light,” in line with Fine Waters, and bottled within the Lavanttal Valley in Austria.

How have been the bottled waters ranked?

To decide the ultimate rankings, the judges assessed every bottle’s composition and taste. Waters have been ranked based mostly on qualities comparable to minerality, stability (the diploma of carbonation), whether or not they have added carbonation or pure carbonation (which happens as a result of uncommon geological situations), orientation (pH), hardnessand extra.

Colorado-based water sommelier Anistacia Barberwho volunteered through the Fine Waters Society’s 2022 summit, tells Food & Wine that this 12 months’s winners “represent the incredible diversity and unique terroir of protected spring and mineral water sources.”

“What stands out is the sheer quantity, quality, and distinctions of the selections,” Barber says. “I believe these award-winning selections stand as a powerful testament to the careful, responsible stewardship of these precious land and water sources.”

Waters entered within the competitors are categorized based mostly on their mineral content material, which refers back to the complete dissolved solids (TDS) or mineral focus within the water. These dissolved solids contribute to the flavour and slight texture of the liquid.

Bottles are additional categorized by whether or not or not they’re carbonated, leading to aggressive sections like “still, low minerality” and “sparkling, high minerality.”

Who is thinking about wonderful waters?

It’s unattainable to speak about wonderful bottled water with out acknowledging the bigger international context: one in three folks all over the world nonetheless lack entry to scrub ingesting water. In that mild, calling wonderful water a distinct segment luxurious is an understatement. While entry to secure water is a elementary human proper, the thought of curating and tasting premium water stays the main focus of a a lot smaller — and extra privileged — viewers.

Still, that viewers is rising. According to Global Market Insightsthe worldwide premium bottled water market was valued at $38.6 billion in 2024 and continues to increase. Online communities, like a dedicated Reddit forum for water fanatics, have emerged to attach followers of the class. Water tasting, too, has develop into extra formalized, with licensed water sommelier coaching applications targeted on detecting delicate variations in salinity, minerality, fizziness, and mouthfeel.

Beyond that, curiosity in wonderful water has been trickling into the hospitality world. As Fine Waters notes, some eating places — together with Michelin-starred dining rooms — have begun providing curated water menus. A number of bottles have even gained viral consideration. Saratoga, for instance, noticed its cobalt-blue bottle surge in reputation after showing in a creator’s polished morning routine video sequence.

Whether or not luxurious water turns into as mainstream as wonderful wine stays to be seen. But for these curious to discover the class, Fine Waters’ top-ranked bottles provide a compelling place to start out.