You don't know whether it is or isn't his decision to make - that would be between him and his employers. He may very well have the discretion to bend the rule

You don't know whether it is or isn't his decision to make - that would be between him and his employers. He may very well have the discretion to bend the rules a bit for the right kind of people to keep the place popular - wealthy people who like to buy their way to the front of the line are also people who are likely to spend more extravagantly on the wine.