LOS ANGELES, June 25 – It’s being pitched as the “champagne of water”, developed by water sommeliers to be sipped, sniffed and rolled around the mouth like a fine wine during a fancy meal.

The PR pitch for Beverly Hills 90H20 borrows heavily on the wine and spirits vernacular to sell the “best tasting water in the world”.

How does this strike your fancy? Premium water for a "silky smooth”, crisp, fresh taste profile?©Beverly Hills 902H0

The premium water, sourced from the mountain springs of northern California, claims to be crafted with natural minerals using a “proprietary patent-pending formula” that results in a 7.5 pH alkalinity for a “silky smooth”, crisp, fresh taste profile that’s supposed to appeal to the broad consumer spectrum.

Remember, this is water they’re talking about.

It’s these unique characteristics that are likewise supposed to make Beverly Hills 90H20 the ideal water pairing for fine foods and wines, reads the sales pitch.

The premium water blend is bottled in a diamond-like, hand-finished decanter triple-sealed for freshness.

Each of the limited-edition 10,000 bottles also features a unique custom art design and is available at fine restaurants, luxury hotels, gourmet markets and fashion boutiques. Bottles retail for US$14 (RM45).

The product has been launched in the US at outlets such as the Montage Beverly Hills, Luxe Rodeo Drive Hotel, Monsieur Marcel Gourmet Markets and Bulgari on Rodeo Drive, says wine trade publication Decanter.

Possible future markets include Australia, Canada, China, Dubai, France, Germany, Italy, Kuwait and South Korea.

Beverly Hills 90H20 is the latest company to bottle water as a premium luxury product and pitch it as the ideal accompaniment to a gourmet meal.

Virgen Artesian Mineral Water, for example, is sourced from a volcanic formation in Uruguay estimated to be 300 million years old that supposedly protects, filters and mineralises local water.

The water, described as a “flavour enhancer”, is supposed to stand up to even the most full-bodied, powerful wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.

Similarly, Sanpuro Premium Water – sourced from thermal springs in Austria – is oxygen-enriched and low in sodium to produce a “velvety soft and harmonious” taste profile that claims to sensitise the palate to gourmet flavours and fine wines. – AFP/Relaxnews