Page 24 - Masala Lite Issue 169 January 2025

24 IN FOCUS

India’s youngest Water Sommelier
and Brand Manager of Aãva,

Avanti Mehta, schools us on the
importance of natural mineral water.

BY MAHMOOD HOSSAIN

or 31-year-old Avanti Mehta, it was an unlikely journey that
led her to become India’s youngest water sommelier and play
a pivotal role as the brand manager in her family’s business
of producing natural mineral water.
“I actually used to study literature, sociology and anthropology,
with a focus on fashion and lifestyle,” began Avanti as she took
me by surprise. “That’s an industry that I actively chose to work

in for many years, alongside finishing my master’s. I interned with
magazines, such as Vogue, the fashion e-commerce space, and
the advertising space. So, coming into this field wasn’t exactly

something that was planned, but given that I was into advertising,
I was also working on social media on the side. And that’s how I
slowly started building Aãva’s (the family brand) social media
presence.”
“There is nuance to comparing natural mineral water, spring,
filtered, and purified packaged water,” she explained. “I had to

understand why it mattered and the exact source of my family’s
natural mineral water. I learned that spring water has the highest
accreditation; it’s water that nature intended us to have, yet the
planet now has very limited access to fresh water. Ninety percent
of that fresh water is used in agriculture, and 0.02 percent of that
does not require the purification process; it already possesses all

the healthy minerals – nothing added nor subtracted. This made
me realise the importance water has on health and wellness. Over
time, I got more involved in the family business and decided to
become a water sommelier.”

What I try to do
In layman’s terms, what exactly is a water sommelier?
I think the simplest way to kind of explain what a water sommelier does is to compare as a water
it to a wine sommelier. With wine, you have something called terroir – a French term
that refers to the geology of the source; how the grapes are grown, how the grapes sommelier is raise

are fermented, and the fermentation process itself, all of which affect the taste of the
wine. It’s the same with natural mineral water or spring water because these waters awareness about
come from a singular, protected natural source. It could be a glacier, an iceberg, an natural mineral
underground aquifer, a well, or an overground spring. Depending on the source, it will
feel and taste very different on the palette. For example, if you have sushi or sashimi, water and

which is really delicate, it will require water that is super light. educate
Take our brand of water Aãva – it comes from a sandy terrain, which means it absorbs
silica. Now, silica is a common mineral found in different produce and products.

Another water that has good levels of silica is Fiji Water, but that comes from volcanic
rock, so it lends to a sweet aftertaste. If you drink another natural mineral water that

probably came from the Himalayas, its mineral composition would differ, and the When it comes to spicy food, as you would find in Thai or South Asian cuisines, it

taste, experience, and wellness aspects of it would differ from maybe a natural mineral should be paired with mid-minerality water that has a TDS (Total Dissolved Solids)

water originating in the Aravillis (oldest fold mountains on earth located in India). between 200 to 400, which is not supremely light. It’s not going to get lost in the food;
it kind of holds its own. At the same time, the minerals that are present in it can play
What is the process of becoming a water sommelier, and what is your main focus a role in either cutting down on a certain spice or elevating a certain spice as well.
after becoming one?
I think it’s similar to a wine sommelier. You have certain levels and practical exams that When it comes to fresh water, especially water as nature intended, full of healthy
you take. There is a similar training process. There are a couple of water sommelier minerals, devoid of impurities with the TDS, and if you have access to that, you
organisations across the world. South Korea is very well known for its water sommeliers. should be drinking it or using it for agriculture, because that’s directly related to
They have some of the finest water sommeliers in the world; language can become health and wellness. One of the reasons I chose to join my family business is that if

a barrier if you want to train there. There is another one in Italy. Then there is the we have access to a resource like this, I am happy that I’m sharing it with the world
European Water Sommelier Association. I received my certification through Fine and giving it to other people to drink, and not making T-shirts out of it, or not using

Water Academy, which is run by Dr. Michael Mascha, as well as Martin Riese, who it to make denim, or not using it as a byproduct in an industrial process. I think it’s
is also one of the more popular water sommeliers in the world, he appeared on the more about educating people, asking them: Where is your water coming from? How is

Netflix series Down to Earth with Zac Efron. So, it really depends on which association it bottled? Is the process eco-friendly? Is the process respectful? Does it keep nature

you would like to get certified with, but it’s a similar process where you are trying as its core focus?
to understand the basics of how water functions in the world, right from the water How would you like to be remembered, what do you wish your impact to be on
cycle to different natural resources from where water is found. society when all is said and done?

What I try to do as a water sommelier is raise awareness about natural mineral I think if I can make mineral water in India synonymous with actual mineral water versus
water and educate. When it comes to bottling natural mineral water, it’s the lightest the reality of RO-purified packaged water, that would be my biggest achievement. If I

water footprint of any packed beverage. You know, water is not a palette cleanser. can reach enough people, make them simply think about the water they are drinking,

It’s actually a palette enhancer. So, it really depends on the pairing that you give. For where it comes from, what it’s doing for the environment, and how it affects their
example, if you are having a very tan and rich red wine or a very acidic white wine, health is a great accomplishment for me. It is an absolute luxury to have access to

such as a Sauvignon Blanc, you don’t want to pair that with sparkling water because water that does not require purification, additions, or anything removed from it. This
the carbonation of the sparkling water clashes with the tannins of the wine. To is under threat from various elements such as global warming, and we must realise

balance off the tannins of the wine, it’s better to have a low minerality water, which the value of it. Ultimately, if I can make people genuinely value water, I would consider
will instantly complement the wine. that to be a job well done!
MASAL A LITE ISSUE 169 - JANUARY 2025