When opening a fine bottle of wine, choosing the right dish to accompany it is de rigueur. But how often do we give the same consideration to the water served alongside that carefully chosen pairing?  Could the wrong water diminish a great wine?

For Damien Smith, former co-owner and founder of Munda Wines and a seasoned wine professional whose career has included senior roles across Moët Hennessy, the answer is crystal clear. So clear, in fact, that he went on to co-found his own mineral water brand, Carribie, with his wife Gretchen from their remote property on Yorke Peninsula, South Australia.

The Carribie property rests on top of the Carribie Basin aquifer, which shares the same name, and is in a remarkably isolated area with only around 15 people living within a 10 kilometre radius. The property was purchased by Damien & Gretchen nearly 20 years ago when it was completely run down, largely because of its spectacular location and surfing credentials, literally a stone’s throw from the Daly Head National Surfing Reserve. Damien has been surfing here for nearly four decades, with the long-held dream of using the aquifer for commercial purposes. This has been a project meticulously planned, with 30% of Carribie re-planted by Trees for Life back in 2011, and now Carribie is finally in bottle. This project has not been a sprint by any means. 

Damien always believed there was something magical about the place. “It’s a remarkable coastal aquifer where the water has been naturally filtered through ancient marine sands and limestone before emerging with its distinctive and balanced mineral composition.” The name Carribie means “where emus drink,” and emus and kangaroos are indeed well acquainted with the surrounding landscape.

With a TDS (total dissolved solids) – which contributes structure, weight on the palate and mouthfeel – of 730, Carribie sits slightly higher than waters such as Antipodes (130 – Spring Water) or Fiji (210 – Spring Water). Carribie has a harmonious mineral composition that makes it so versatile at the dining table. “We’ve done several analyses and our water presents in a naturally proportioned structural zone with enough mineral content to give length and texture, and enough bicarbonate (363) to create smooth carbonation. The naturally occurring sodium chloride (sea-spray) contributes a subtle savoury quality that enhances a natural sweetness that rounds out the palate without any added minerals or treatment, making Carribie unusually versatile at the dining table.”

The hallmark for Carribie, recently awarded 99 points for its sparkling and 100 points for its still at the 2026 Fine Water Summit in Montreal, lies in the balance of all its elements. “Many chefs talk about this ultimate balance of calcium to magnesium, and they talk about a 3:1 ratio. We’re 2.8:1, which is critical for creating smooth, structured, refreshing, non-aggressive water.”

Damien attributes Carribie’s distinctive mouthfeel to its substantial calcium content (92.2), comparing the tactile sensation to the glycerol-like mouthfeel found in great wines. “And then you have that magnesium lift that sits on the back of the palate. And the potassium, which is an important element that works between the two minerals to bind it all together. Together, these minerals create a naturally rounded palate with exceptional balance and persistence.”

The carbonation of the sparkling water was another element where balance proved essential, particularly given Damien’s long involvement with Moët Hennessy. “I always wanted that fine, Champagne-like bead. Because when you’ve got all these beautiful minerals, if you put an aggressive bubble with it, you’ve got too much bouncing around in your mouth. With Carribie we’re at 2.75g CO2/L.” For Damien, Carribie Sparkling is at its best alongside protein-rich dishes, where the bicarbonate resets the palate while the other minerals cut through the richness, adding a subtle textural dimension rather than competing with the food.

Carribie is currently available through their website at $5.50 per bottle and in selected restaurants and independent retailers across Adelaide with some availability around the country.

Below is a comparative tasting of both Carribie waters alongside different wine styles. While there are always a time and place for fine wines and fine waters, this tasting aims to encourage a little more thought about the role that mineral – and even tap – water plays in the overall enjoyment of a great bottle. It is one more element to consider the next time you want to create the best possible dining experience, and memory. We’ve spent decades matching wine with food. The next frontier is matching water with wine. The objective wasn’t to find the ‘best’ water, but to understand how different mineral profiles influence different wine styles.

2025 Raidis Estate Cheeky Goat Pinot Gris, Coonawarra

The wine opens with a gentle yet persistent burst of macerated cherries, Turkish Delight, cantaloupe, mandarin peel and watermelon. Refreshing and playful on the palate, it reveals a smidge of ginger, a twist of cold orange amaro and rosewater lolly. The finish is composed, with most of the action unfolding through the mid-palate.

With 2026 Carribie Still Water – 10/10
The lovely burst of red fruit and Turkish delight lingers long after both the wine and the water have been swallowed. The minerality of the water complements the palate, leaving it refreshed, energised and, perhaps most importantly, ready for the next sip.

With 2026 Carribie Sparkling Water – 4/10
Although the water is pleasantly light on its feet, and the bead is neither aggressive nor abrasive like that of many commercial sparkling waters, in this pairing it mutes the wine’s delicate fragrance and fruit. What remains is the warmth of its 13.5% alcohol, lingering alongside the water’s chalky minerality.

2022 Raidis Billy Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra

Herbal and tightly coiled, with cassis, freshly rolled tobacco leaf, cigar box, chewed tobacco, black plum, bilberry compote, carob and blackcurrant. The palate is dense, compact and packed with black fruit, spice-laden berries, dark chocolate and a hint of roasted capsicum alongside black olive tapenade. Chunky tannins frame the entire wine.

With 2026 Carribie Still Water – 7/10
The herbal notes and oak spice remain, while the tannins continue to assert themselves with conviction, finishing with a lingering phenolic bitterness. The water’s mineral content also makes the alcohol feel slightly more pronounced.

With 2026 Carribie Sparkling Water – 10/10
The fruit profile remains fully committed through to the finish, while the palate is lifted by the bubbles and the water’s minerality. The tannins change shape, becoming firmer and more al dente. Rather than accentuating their savouriness, the sparkling water polishes them, making the wine almost irresistible, with the water’s calcium content adding to the overall harmony.

2022 Bekkers Tome (Vol. 2) Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, McLaren Vale

Tight, dark and mysterious, with plenty of wild character. Bilberry, mulberry, freshly brewed Oolong tea leaves, dark cocoa nibs and sarsaparilla lead the way. Incredibly decadent and tightly coiled, the mid-palate is all about fruit density and unmistakable shape. The tannins are massive yet beautifully modulated in their muscularity. There is drive, tension and remarkable concentration, all held in impressive balance.

With 2026 Carribie Still Water – 6/10
The fruit concentration is dialled back, shifting the focus to the wine’s acidity and tannin framework. The mid-palate is temporarily dominated by the water, with the fruit only re-emerging on the finish, accompanied by a grippy sensation across the gums.

With 2026 Carribie Sparkling Water – 8/10
The pairing opens slightly bitter and grippy, with the wine’s structure initially clashing with the bubbles and chalky minerality of the water. Surprisingly, it then settles into a neutral zone where both wine and water coexist harmoniously, neither dominating the other. The palate feels lighter and ready for the long haul.

2025 Cirillo Shiraz, Barossa Valley 

Very blue in profile: blue violets, blueberries, blueberry compote, blue plum confit, boysenberries and pomegranate. Coiled and poised, it is light on its feet across the palate, with elegant, fine-tuned fruit, discerning acidity and impressive length of flavour. The tannins are velvety, carrying just the right amount of bitterness. There is measured power and concentration throughout.

With 2026 Carribie Still Water – 9/10
An almost perfect match. Only the calcium in the water takes the lead initially, but the wine’s attractive, tightly coiled blue and black fruit ultimately prevails.

With 2026 Carribie Sparkling Water – 10/10
The bubbles accentuate the tannins’ bitterness while reinforcing the coiled, concentrated nature of the dark fruit. The finish is incredibly fresh, leaving an overall feathery sensation on the palate.

2025 Cirillo The Vincent Grenache, Barossa Valley

Wild strawberries, plums, milk chocolate, dark cherries, and a hint of cracked white pepper. The fruit is beautifully composed, yet multi-layered and lifted, with a distinctive crunchiness, like biting into a fresh red apple. The finish is fine and rather reserved, with tannins that build gradually yet remain al dente, making you crave food alongside this wine.

With 2026 Carribie Still Water- 8/10

The acidity and al dente tannins come into sharper focus across the palate. The flavour intensity is dialled back slightly, but without the fruit losing its grip altogether. 

With 2026 Carribie Sparkling Water- 10/10

Effortlessly balanced. The palate feels cleaner while remaining peppered with the decadent, red-fruited profile of this old-vine Grenache. Subtle white pepper and milk chocolate round out the finish beautifully.