Volvic

Volvic is a brand of mineral water. Its source is in the Chaîne des Puys-Limagne Fault, Auvergne Volcanoes Regional Park, at the Puy de Dôme in France. Over 50% of the production of Volvic water is exported to more than sixty countries throughout the world.

Volvic Natural Lemon & Natural Orange

About 4 years ago when we first tasted Volvic’s orange-flavored, unsweetened water, we were charmed. At that time, there were only orange-flavored seltzers, artificially flavored: We loved the natural orange essence in Volvic’s crisp spring water. The product has re-emerged sweetened, with 14g of sugar in a 500 ml (1.05 pint) bottle. We personally don’t care for the whole Fruitwater concept of flavored, sweetened waters—we prefer our water flavored but without the sugar, and we loved the product unsweetened as Glaceau (manufacturers of Fruitwater) originally made it.

But, cater to the soda-drenched American palate, and you can get Americans to drink “water” as long as you don’t carbonate it. (Soda is flavored, sweetened, carbonated water; leave out the carbonation and you have flavored water.) The French at Volvic do it better than the Americans.

The two Volvic citrus flavors start with a better-quality water, and have a very different flavor profile: they taste like dilute orange juice and dilute lemonade, respectively. If you love your orange juice or your lemonade, think of them as lower-calorie spa versions. If it hurts you to give up your O.J. when you’re on a diet, we endorse Volvic Natural Orange and Natural Lemon at 30 calories for 8 ounces. They may not call it “spa water,” but we think they’ve missed out on a marketing opportunity. It’s what we would expect to be handed at Canyon Ranch.