> I'd like to think I'd pick out the $30 wine with a better random success rate
In my experience, wine bars are happy to serve flights blind. I usually taste blind, do a reveal and then ask an expert how to describe what I liked (and didn't).
For some regions, e.g. Bourgogne or Châteauneuf-du-Pape, my tastes are expensive. For others, e.g. Italy, I prefer some lower-priced varietals (e.g. Valpolicella) over some higher-priced ones (e.g. Amarone).
In my experience, wine bars are happy to serve flights blind. I usually taste blind, do a reveal and then ask an expert how to describe what I liked (and didn't).
For some regions, e.g. Bourgogne or Châteauneuf-du-Pape, my tastes are expensive. For others, e.g. Italy, I prefer some lower-priced varietals (e.g. Valpolicella) over some higher-priced ones (e.g. Amarone).