Another manifestation of palate fatigue

I followed with interest the recent thread on palate fatigue during tastings, which is something I experience myself, and the various palliatives which were suggested. That thread did not discuss, though, the persistence of palate fatigue after tastings.

I attended a big tasting yesterday and, indeed, tired during the tasting feeling that my impressions of the last few wines had become rather unreliable. Tannic Ch.Sociando-Mallet was probably the straw that broke the camel's back.

Although I cleaned out my mouth on returning home, a bitter taste remained in my mouth and distorted my palate perception for the rest of the day. The evening's wine, a Côte Rôtie 94 from Jamet, was spoiled with the bitter elements, mainly resolved tannins in this case, becoming obtrusive. This is not the first time that I have noticed this after a tasting and I now resolve never again to waste a potentially good bottle in these circumstances.

Am I alone in finding that tasting a lot of wines, mainly red, disturbs the palate for a few hours afterwards?

You are not alone. If I drink anything at all after a long day of wine tasting, it is usually beer.

I just participated in another massive tasting (100+ wines, a dozen beers, and as many spirits) and I found the thing to wake my palate up so I could appreciate dinner was an Americano and then a strong cocktail (Sazerac). I needed something totally different and those were very refreshing.

While it does not seem to impact me as much (I must be less sensitive to tannins than you are), I generally find myself not wanting too much wine after a long tasting. If I am with a group then fine, and I'll gravitate to the sparkling wines and whites and then to the reds.

You are not alone. If I drink anything at all after a long day of wine tasting, it is usually beer.

Me too, nice cold easy-drinking beer. Some folks after the original annual Roy Hersch Port tasting here in Edmonton would all go to a pizza joint and open up to 6 big reds!