All of the Sanpellegrino Fruit Flavors, Ranked Worst to First

Bobbi Dempsey

December 3, 2023 at 1:00 AM·6 min read

Sanpelligrino Flavors Ranked

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Sparkling water is refreshing and soda hits a certain sweet spot, but sometimes you want something that's somewhere between those two drinks. For those moments, there are the sleek S.Pellegrino/Sanpellegrino cans. They have flavor and sweetness without being overwhelming and feel a little bit fancy in that Italian way.

They're tasty year-round but are especially handy to have in the fridge around the holidays, when they're a fun option to have around for cocktail mixers or for a non-boozy alternative for toasting the festive season.

You might not realize that the line has many options from which to choose. There are citrusy flavors and fun blends. We sipped our way through the cans to rank the best Sanpellegrino flavors.

What is Sanpellegrino?

The Sanpellegrino Company dates back to 1899, when it first began producing mineral water in in San Pellegrino Terme, near the Italian Alps. The water is known for its mineral salts, which are said to have beneficial properties that promote good health.

A few decades later, the company branched out into sparkling fruit drinks. Today, the company has two divisions: S.Pellegrino and Sanpellegrino. The S.Pellegrino label produces water and flavored water, while the Sanpellegrino arm has two lines of Italian Sparking Drinks: Traditional and Momenti.

We’re ranking the flavors from all of their lines, starting with those that didn’t excite us quite so much and working our way up to our favorites. Obviously, this is a very subjective process, though—so your preferences may be different.

Editors' Note: We didn’t include their core product—S.Pellegrino Natural Mineral Water—because while it is crisp, clean, and refreshing, it is just pure water without any added flavorings, so there’s not much else to say. We also didn’t rank the mixers, since they aren’t intended to be consumed as is, or the Sanpellegrino Chinotto, which is essentially in a category all by itself.

The S.Pellegrino and Sanpellegrino Drink Varieties

The S.Pellegrino and Sanpellegrino beverages we’re ranking are from the company’s three lines:

Sanpellegrino Italian Sparkling Drinks

These are the traditional lineup of fruit drinks. They're made with natural flavors and contain fruit juice from concentrate so they have the richest and most juice-like flavors—and also have the highest amount of calories, carbs and sugar. They're great all on their own but would also be terrific for mocktails.

Sanpellegrino Momenti Italian Sparkling Drinks

These drinks have real fruit juice for a burst of flavor without artificial sweeteners, but have under 40 calories.

S.Pellegrino Essenza Mediterranean Fruit Flavors

The S.Pellegrino Essenza line combines the subtle bubbles and crisp, clean elements of S.Pellegrino water and adds “blends of flavors inspired by Mediterranean fruits.” This means these drinks have zero carbs, calories, or fat, just as you’d expect from water—but with the essence of fruit flavors. They contain no actual juice or artificial sweeteners, and the ingredients list is super simple: just carbonated mineral water and natural flavors.

Related: 10 Best Ginger Ale Brands

15 Sanpellegrino Flavors Ranked

15. Sanpellegrino Pompelmo

This drink is made from 11% grapefruit juice from concentrate, which makes it a bit surprising that the grapefruit flavor isn’t more pronounced. It reminded us a little bit of a Sprite that had gone somewhat flat. We didn't love it on its own, but it would probably work mixed with other ingredients in a cocktail.

14. S.Pellegrino Essenza Lemon & Lemon Zest

This variety has a double dose of lemon flavor, so if you’re not a big lemon fan, that may be a turnoff. We were fine with the lemon flavor, but just felt the blend wasn’t as surprising or unique as the other options in this line.

13. Sanpellegrino Momenti Lemon & Raspberry

Lemon is definitely the dominant flavor in this combination. The strong citrusy and slightly acidic taste is more likely to appeal to lemon lovers.

12. Sanpellegrino Limonata

With a generous amount of lemon juice in its ingredients list, this variety definitely brings the flavor. It might be a bit too strong or sour for some, but we loved it mixed with pineapple juice and some other ingredients to make a tasty n/a drink.

11. Sanpellegrino Momenti Clementine & Peach

If you’re old enough to have enjoyed wine coolers back in the day, this might be a nostalgic treat. It's reminiscent of that general essence (without the alcohol, of course) or something similar to a peach-based mocktail. As with all the options in this line, the fruit flavors are more understated but still satisfying.

10. S.Pellegrino Essenza Tangerine & Wild Strawberry

This is an intriguing mix that also has a lot of citrus personality, which may or may not be a plus, depending on how you feel about these particular components. It went perfectly with a lunch of stir-fried veggies, though.

9. Sanpellegrino Melograno & Arancia

Another unique and interesting blend, this drink combines orange and pomegranate juice. The result is a distinctive taste that may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but we found it a pleasant, tangy surprise.

8. Momenti Pomegranate & Blackcurrant

This one has a definite seltzer feel, with a flavor profile that seems to be predominantly blackcurrants with a slight suggestion of pomegranate. It’s distinctive and different—but in a good way.

7. Sanpellegrino Aranciata

Made from 16% orange juice from concentrate—along with a dash of lemon juice—this variety has plenty of zippy citrus flavor on its own, but you can kick things up a notch by adding a little bit of fresh fruit as a garnish. It’s got more of a typical orange flavor than some of the orange blends.