Sanpellegrino Pompelmo

As I'm sure many of you have realized by now, I absolutely love grapefruit. It is without a doubt one of my most favorite fruits, and I enjoy just about any drink or recipe that utilizes grapefruit in some way. That being said, I think that I may have found the greatest grapefruit product ever. Until just a few days ago, I was not even aware that Sanpellegrino made a grapefruit beverage. I have seen both the lemon and orange varieties in several different stores now, but for some reason I had assumed that that was where the flavors stopped. I was obviously incorrect, however, and finding the Pompelmo was a very exciting surprise.

Although Sanpellegrino's Pompelmo technically only contains 16% grapefruit juice from concentrate, the flavor is incontestably natural. I don't think that I have ever had a citrus beverage that manages to simultaneously be sweet and completely retain the original taste of the fruit. Despite the drink not being 100% grapefruit juice, it still tastes remarkably like a serving of fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice. Rather than the sugar acting to cut the bitterness of the grapefruit, it seems to act in unison, causing the drink to be both bitter and sweet. Most of the grapefruit drinks that I have had in the past seem to feel the need to dampen the bitter taste of the grapefruit. While I do still like many of these drinks, the aromatic bitterness of grapefruit is one of the main reasons why I enjoy it so much, and it is nice to see a company that does not feel the need to hide it behind sweeteners and other flavors. 

This drink is just absolutely superb. Everything about it is just right, even down to the level of carbonation in the water. If you like grapefruit, or are a fan of natural, Italian-style sodas, then this is definitely one to pick up.

Verdict: Highly recommended

Purchased: Total Wine and More [Greenville, SC]

Size: 11.15 fl oz [330mL]

Price: $4.99 [6-pack]