San Pellegrino
S.Pellegrino is sourced from springs in San Pellegrino Terme, in the Brembana valley, province of Bergamo, Lombardy, Italy. The water originates approximately 400 metres below the surface, where it is mineralised through contact with limestone and volcanic rock. The springs were known from at least the medieval period; Leonardo da Vinci visited in 1509. Commercial bottling began in 1899, when Sanpellegrino S.p.A. was established; in its first year, 35,343 bottles were produced, of which 5,562 were shipped internationally to Cairo, Calcutta, Shanghai, the United States, Brazil, and Australia. The spring is not naturally carbonated: CO₂ gas is separated during collection and recombined with the mineral water during bottling. In 1997, Sanpellegrino S.p.A. was acquired by Perrier Vittel SA, a Nestlé division. S.Pellegrino holds natural mineral water status.
Mineral composition
| mg/L | |
|---|---|
| Calcium | 179 |
| Magnesium | 52 |
| Sodium | 34 |
| Sulfate | 445 |
| Chloride | 55 |
| Bicarbonate | 239 |
Compositions can vary by season and source. Read our methodology.
Mineral character
S.Pellegrino is defined by its exceptional sulphate content. Sulphate is 445 mg/L — the highest of any anion in the profile and among the highest sulphate values in the database for a widely distributed water. Calcium is 179 mg/L; magnesium is 52 mg/L; bicarbonate is 239 mg/L; chloride is 54.8 mg/L; sodium is 33.6 mg/L. Total hardness is 661 mg/L as CaCO₃; alkalinity is 196 mg/L as CaCO₃. TDS is approximately 960 mg/L. The sulphate-to-chloride ratio of approximately 8:1 places S.Pellegrino at the strongly sulphate-weighted end of the anion spectrum. For context: Vittel (306 mg/L sulphate), Topo Chico (180 mg/L), and Gerolsteiner (38.3 mg/L) are the nearest comparators.
Documented use and context
S.Pellegrino is the official sparkling water partner of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards, a commercial arrangement between the Nestlé-Sanpellegrino group and the awards organisation rather than an independent endorsement. The brand is present in Michelin-starred restaurants globally, primarily through commercial relationships. No independent specialist commentary on S.Pellegrino’s specific mineral profile for coffee, brewing, or culinary purposes was identified in research for this entry.
Use-case suitability
- CoffeeNot used in any current coffee recipe. Hardness 661 mg/L is above the 9–266 mg/L range of these targets.
- TeaNot used in any current tea recipe. Hardness 661 mg/L is above the 37–59 mg/L range of these targets.
- BrewingUsed neat for Burton-on-Trent. Also appears in blends for Dortmund, Edinburgh, Kölsch (Cologne), NEIPA, and Vienna.
- BakingNot used in any current baking recipe. Hardness 661 mg/L is above the 46–390 mg/L range of these targets.
- AquariumNot used in any current aquarium recipe. Hardness 661 mg/L is above the 35–212 mg/L range of these targets.
- HorticultureNot used in any current horticulture recipe. Hardness 661 mg/L is above the 12–54 mg/L range of these targets.
Used in these recipes
Where to buy
UK
Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Asda, Morrisons
£0.80-1.50 per litre
US
Walmart, Target, Whole Foods, Kroger
$1.50-2.50 per litre
CA
Loblaws, Sobeys, Metro, Walmart CA
CA$1.50-2.50 per litre
AU
Woolworths, specialty
A$2.00-3.50 per litre
FR
Carrefour, Leclerc
€0.60-0.80 per litre
IT
Esselunga, Conad, Coop IT, Carrefour IT, Lidl IT
€0.55-0.75 per litre
S.Pellegrino is one of the most globally distributed sparkling mineral waters in the database. In the UK: Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Asda, and Morrisons at £0.80–1.50. Italy: Esselunga, Conad, Coop, Carrefour, Lidl at €0.55–0.75. France: Carrefour, Leclerc at €0.60–0.80. US: Walmart, Target, Whole Foods, Kroger at $1.50–2.50. Canada: Loblaws, Sobeys, Metro, Walmart Canada at CA$1.50–2.50. Australia: Woolworths and specialty at A$2.00–3.50. All prices as of March 2026. Sold as sparkling in glass and PET bottles across a range of sizes.