A World-First Water Tasting Experience

In the heart of South Africa’s famed Stellenbosch wine region, a unique tasting experience is challenging perceptions: the world’s first dedicated water tasting room, run by certified water sommelier Nico Pieterse.
Here, tourists sample a curated “library” of around 40 award-winning waters from across the globe, including bottles from Armenian volcanic springs, ancient Czech glaciers, Himalayan springs in Bhutan, and a Colombian rainforest, with some containing dazzling specks of 24-carat gold or listing newly discovered species.
During an hour-long session, guests taste three still and three sparkling waters served at precise temperatures in stemware, discussing factors like minerality and packaging, while Pieterse—a former brewer who turned to water during a pandemic alcohol ban—educates them on the nuances and “emotional connection” of water.
This luxury experience unfolds against the stark backdrop of South Africa’s severe water scarcity and infrastructure challenges, with Pieterse aiming to add value to a resource many take for granted, hoping that by appreciating water as a fine product, people will be inspired to conserve and care for it in a country where it is desperately needed.