Palate fatigue doesn't exist?

Today Dan Berger told me that he believes palate fatigue is a myth.

I wonder: Do you experience palate fatigue? Do you have fatigue after a dozen wines, or two dozen, or 100?

I’m a longtime reader of Dan Berger and so this has me thinking. I confess that after 100 wines, the 100th is not getting the same fresh palate evaluation from me as the first. But that’s just me.

For me, undoubtedly - lots of wine particularly dulls aromas for me (which is 98%+ of tasting). Kind of like working at a paint factory, I guess. I’ve learned to taste through it to some degree, but I don’t subject myself to 25+ wine tastings any more.

I wholeheartedly disagree. First of all, I believe I have experienced it before. Second, I have gone to many wine tastings held by Master Sommelier Madeline Triffon, and in speaking with her, she talked about how at some competitions she would have to taste around 100 wines, and it took a while to figure out how to do that while fighting off palate fatigue. Water, crackers, breaks, etc…she was always the last one done at those events as well due to her efforts in making sure her palate was ready for the next round.

She was great to listen to, always had good insights, recommendations, and stories. A little bio…

http://www.starchefs.com/wine/ask_Sommelier/MTriffon/index.shtml" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This just in! Wine critic and competition judge says palate fatigue is a myth.

In other news:
Running back says he never gets tired in 4th quarter.
Marathoner says he’s as fresh at 20 miles as he was at 2.
College student says he is as ready to party at 3 AM as he is at 9 PM.
Toyota says cars will run forever.

He kind of has a vested interest in this statement, no? Brown bag 100 wines with about maybe 10 repeated randomly throughout the tasting. If he rates those wines similarly from one taste to another, I’m sold.

Wasn’t there a children’s book, one of the Ramona and Beezus ones, where Ramona learns that the first bite of a fruit is the best, so she goes around eating only one bite out of each apple and throwing away the rest?

Personally, even with spitting, water, crackers/bread, I experience palate fatigue after seven or so wines.

Whatever… Mine is fatigued after 8-10 wines in our tasting group.

I ran a half marathon Sunday. At the 5-mile mark, I was cruising. At 10, I was short-striding, sucking wind.

and at 13 you were ready for another half!! No?

Amazingly, no. No I really f-ing wasn’t!

There is science on this - Jamie Goode has written about it. It’s definitely real.

I’m about to go digging for a link - thanks, Keith.

Running fatigue is a myth. You just need to push yourself harder, maybe take a few water and cracker breaks.

Do you have a link to Mr. Berger’s comments? I would like to read them in context first.

FWIW, people use the phrase “palate fatigue” to mean different things…

Bruce

Exactly. Crackers are definitely the key.

Today Mr. Berger whacked my colleague and me at NYCR over our decision to stop accepting invitations to judge at wine competitions. He defended wine judging and said we wouldn’t be missed.

I emailed him a short list of questions, and he was kind enough to answer. Here’s the exchange I’m referring to in this thread… italics mine.

Me: Research has indicated that palate fatigue sets in after about a dozen wines. How do judges counter that - or can it be countered?

DB: I have never seen such research, and believe strongly that palate fatigue is a myth. If such research has been done, can you cite where you found it and who did it?

My wine group did a mondo-Syrah tasting last winter; 15 syrahs in about 3 hours (with several large meal courses tossed in). Not spitting, mind you, but our palates, and brains, were toast by the end. It is definitely real.

In my case not only is it not a myth, but it kicks in after about about 4 different wines. Since I don’t ever want more than this it is not a problem. I am perfectly prepare to believe though that Mr. Berger’s opinion of his hundredth wine of the day is of exactly the same value as his opinion of his first…

Chapeau!

I believe strongly that Dan Berger is a myth.

Seriously - who is this guy and why would anyone care what he has to say on the subject?

There’s is no such thing as palate fatigue.

My small response below is worth a thousand words.

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