It all comes down to the Sommelier. Most Sommeliers pride themselves in being able to put together a wine list that has something for every palette and every price point. More than ever, Sommeliers recognize that it is harder to find impressive wines at the lower prices and they put extra effort into choosing good wines to round out their more glamorous and expensive labels. That's one of the ways in which they demonstrate their expertise and resourcefulness.

There's something else to also keep in mind - the most popular bottle on a wine list is usually the second cheapest wine. Why? Because many a consumer is afraid to come across as being cheap by buying the least expensive wine on the wine list. The second cheapest wine is what the consumers gravitate to. Sommeliers know this and accordingly choose those wines carefully as well.

So the next time you're in a restaurant, look over the cheaper wines. They'll tell you more about the Sommelier and how seriously the restaurant takes food and wine pairing than the expensive wines on the list.