I dated a sommelier with a physics degree for some time and this matches what I learned from her. She had the lesser certificate not the crazy Master one, but s

I dated a sommelier with a physics degree for some time and this matches what I learned from her. She had the lesser certificate not the crazy Master one, but still her own kit for doing blind tastings and could reliably identify appellation and varietal if not the vintage and vineyard. Not perfect but right enough to know it wasn't chance. For most people you really don't need to go above $20 for a wine that's world class in terms of quality. At the higher price points most of what you're buying into is the story and exclusivity. There are things you can taste but as you say, it's arguable if these are actually virtues beyond those two features, and it's doubtful if it outweighs the cost unless you have a lot of disposable income.