How people pick a good wine

How do you pick your wine when you go to the store? DO you come with a list of recommendations? Do you ask personnel? Other shoppers? Do you come with a guidebook? Do you pick at random? Or do you always buy the same bottles?

Luiz de Mello and Ricardo Pires say that the average customer is mostly influenced, except for the price, by the shape of the label. Next most important factor is the color of the label. Isn't that disappointing? with the educated small talk people have about their preferred wines, all that matters in the end is the label?

How can we rationalize this? For one, many customers are not that sophisticated and just want a decent wine. Given the competition, a particular cru needs to distinguish itself. Somehow, having a distinctive bottle design is frowned upon, but the label is where free expression can attract a shopper's eye, like the banner ads with dancing girls. For the sophisticated wine drinker, the label will not matter anyway.