When in doubt should I order the second-cheapest wine on the wine list?

How to Drink Better: Don’t think you’re outsmarting the restaurant by employing this fallback

Sommeliers will be wise to this and may increase their margin on the second wine
Sommeliers will be wise to this and may increase their margin on the second wine

Is this simply an urban myth? I have heard many people argue at length (usually after a glass or two of wine) that the second least expensive wine on the list offers the best value. The theory is simple; for their house wine, a restaurant will extract the best possible price from their distributor and end up flogging their customers the nastiest vinegar at the highest price. Order the second-cheapest wine and you won’t look like a cheapskate, and the wine should taste a lot better too. It might also make you appear knowledgeable. This notion might have something to do with a video by College Humor that went viral on YouTube in 2012.

There are several flaws to the theory. Firstly, sommeliers will be wise to this and may increase their margin on the second wine. Secondly, it assumes the house wine will be awful, which is not always the case. Good restaurants see their house wine, or wines (some more thoughtful establishments offer a range of house wines) as a badge of honour, proof that they can offer good wine at a fair price. If they can’t, what does it say about them?

Whenever I eat out, I tend to look first at wines costing €40-€60 a bottle. If I spot something really nice that is well-priced I buy it. If they all seem overpriced, I revert to the house wine. Of course, I would have greater knowledge than the average customer. But if the waiter seems helpful, you can always tell them you have €50 to spend on wine and let them choose. It helps if you let them know what kind of wine you usually enjoy. Most sommeliers know every wine on their list and often have a few hidden gems, favourites of their own. They will be delighted to select something nice for you. It is their job, after all.