What You Do Know
By now you know that you cannot judge a wine by its price. You also know that your friends and associates may, in fact, judge you by the wine you select. If it is good/better/best – you will be crowned a hero. If it tastes like Dr. Pepper (excessively sweet), or gasoline (the vines are adjacent to a major highway), you will lose any standing you thought you had as a “wine connoisseur.”
You could ask the waiter/sommelier to recommend a wine (forget your ego and ask for help) – but you are not sure you should trust this staffer since some employees get a commission on the wine they sell; perhaps they upsell a bottle of expensive wine so they get a sizeable “thank you” from the purchase.