Connoisseurs are taking the language of wine and bringing it to the humble water glass, hoping to elevate the conversation around the stuff most of us drink every day.

There’s more to it, these experts say, than just sipping something that comes out of the tap, or from one of the mass-produced bottled waters on the market. And when it comes to matching food with a refreshing beverage, there’s sometimes nothing better than a glass of perfectly paired H20.

“The chef cares about the food, the sommelier cares about the wine, but it seems like nobody cares about the water,” said Michael Mascha, a food anthropologist who wrote a book detailing the tastes and profiles of bottled water around the world. “You have 200 wines on your wine list, and you tell me still or sparkling?”