(MN) - Palate fatigue is real -- and you don't need to be a professional wine judge to experience it. Remember that time you were on a zinfandel roll in Lodi and the winemaker at your second stop decided to uncork rare vintages of his old vine zinfandel dating back to, ahem, the vines' adolescence?

You didn't refuse, of course, but even with modest sips and plenty of spits, your mouth felt like a singed haystack afterward. How would your tired taste buds make it to the next winery?

Some experts recommend nibbling on rare roast beef, as the protein in the meat works like a ninja on tannins in big red wines. That's what we do in wine competitions. But assuming no one is standing by to slice slivers of succulent beef for you (or serve an amuse bouche sorbet), most super tasters would suggest a glass of filtered water to cleanse your palate. Or: just waiting. Time is the best palate cleanser.

When you don't have the time to wait around, you could even try a product developed by two San Diego residents to help refresh palates -- and not just during wine tasting. Andrew and Nicole Macaluso started work on SanTasti in 2007 while studying wine and viticulture at Cal Poly. The Macalusos were hosting a barrel tasting of 14 Central Coast pinot noir lots at Baileyana in San Luis Obispo. By the end, their palates were kaput.

"It was exhausting," Andrew recalls. "We were shocked at how varied the perception of quality was among people who had tasted the same wines. When you're around the same aromas and flavors, your brain just shuts off at some point."

Inspired, the couple set out to solve the problem. They did trials with traditional palate cleansers, like crackers and Graber Olives, delectable, slightly nutty, unbrined, late-harvest, Ontario-grown olives.

But ultimately, those felt more like pairings, like a meal, Andrew says. "We wanted something natural and pure. Something fun, less technical."

They came up with a full-bodied, unflavored, lightly sparkling water that quickly found a home on the professional circuit, from the Rhone Rangers to the Firestone Walker Invitational.

In 2012, hoping to appeal to a wider audience -- "people who like to enjoy their food and drinks, not evaluate them" -- the Macalusos tweaked the formula and the name to Evo and added natural flavors, like grapefruit and cucumber. (BevMo will be carrying it soon.)

How does it work? The purified water has no mineral aftertaste. Citric acid stimulates saliva flow, while organic cane sugar balances acid. Fruit pectin (and the cane sugar) add volume and help mitigate astringency.

Tim McDonald, director of the San Francisco International Wine Competition, recalls sampling the drink at a wine competition in Los Angeles. "It worked and it did what it was designed to do," he says. "But a lot of times, experienced judges already have their own tricks. They're personal and unique to you."

When McDonald's palate is under pressure, he may smell the back of his hand or the cotton of his shirt. He guzzles filtered water and munches on celery. "Celery is bright and has a juiciness and slight bitterness to it," he explains. "Unsalted crackers and fresh bread from a good bakery work, too. They are flavorless but give your mouth the illusion that you're eating, so you can conquer palate fatigue."