The answer to this is simple - "If you are happy with a £4 bottle of wine, then it would indeed be a waste to spend £40 on one."

Most people who pay higher prices for a bottle began by drinking wine which was a good deal cheaper.

They try different basic wines and decide which flavours they like and which they do not.

They begin to acquire a basic understanding of the variety of wine flavours and they are curious to know more.

For a special occasion, perhaps they will try a more expensive wine of a type they already appreciate.

Should they find it to their liking, then they are more likely to contunue to purchase in a slightly higher price bracket if they can afford to.

But, by now they are beginning to get to grips with the range of styles, qualities and complexities of wine and are learning to make their own choices and come to their own conclusions about value for money.

What are they likely to encounter in a higher priced wine? More subtlety, finesse, and character for a start.

Wine which has had time and patience bestowed on it and which may be produced in smaller quantities and therefore benefits of economy of scale do not necessarily apply.

Of course, it is not easy presenting this case to the £4 imbiber who has not really experienced these qualities in wine. The knowledge of wine is a progression for us all.

It requires curiosity and interest - without these qualities, the individual will never learn to recognise the wonders that can be achieved by good winemakers.

So, we return to the original question. The individual asking the point would indeed be wasting his money on a £40 bottle.

It would be a mistake for anyone to switch from £4 to £40 suddenly. In fact, any change in price would be wasted unless the individual was interested enough to spend time considering his likes and dislikes and reasoning why he prefers this wine to that.

It is a gradual accumulation of tasting experiences but is usually only undertaken by those who are interested.

It is the same for food, cars, any subject you can think of - the more you know, the more discerning you become.

To conclude, it may be of interest to consider that the taxes, duty, transport costs and packaging of a wine are the same for a £4 bottle as for a £40 one.

Therefore, if you pay a little more for a bottle of wine, the additional cost is entirely made up in better wine quality.

Also, if you use a winemerchant rather than a supermarket for your purchases, you are more likely to benefit from the advice of knowledgeable staff who can really help you with your buying, should you wish it.