Avoid the second cheapest

Restaurateurs have long since cottoned on to the practice, and on many lists the slot will be taken by the wine that was cheapest for them to buy, with the price then pumped up. If you're looking for value, you're often better off with the house (aka cheapest) wine: an ambassadorial bottle that most restaurant wine buyers I know take pride in getting right.

Try this at home
Waitrose Rich and Intense Italian Red (£4.99)

This juicy, plummy red is the supermarket equivalent of a good-quality house red at a local pizza place.

If you can't stand the mark-up, BYO

An increasing number of restaurants will let you bring your own for a respectable corkage fee. Wine writer Tom Cannavan has an up-to-date list of restaurants that are amenable to this at wine-pages.com. If you live in London and eat out a lot, you might be able to justify the £99 membership to join byowineclub.com, which gives you BYO access to some restaurants that wouldn't otherwise allow it .

Try this at home (or BYO)
Ostler Blue House Pinot Gris Waitaki, New Zealand 2010 (£18.99, Berry Bros & Rudd)

The perfect BYO wine: it comes from New Zealand, too often under-represented on restaurant lists; its luscious quince flavours and texture make it a versatile food match.

If there's no producer, have a beer

The producer's name is the most important information on a wine (or any drink) bottle: it's the most reliable guide to quality. There are many UK restaurants, and not just those at the cheaper end, that, when it comes to wine, may give the country or region, but leave out the producer's name. This is usually a good sign the establishment doesn't care about wine, and I've learnt to retreat to the safer ground of bottled lager, juice or tea.

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La Vieille Ferme Blanc, Côtes du Luberon 2012 (£7.95, Asda, Waitrose, ocado.com)

This trusted brand from the Rhône shows the value of knowing the producer. Offering good value, this perky, pear and peach-flavoured white is made by the Perrin family, a top producer of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

Mind the vintage

If you're tempted to splurge on an expensive bottle, particularly a red from one of the classic European regions such as Bordeaux, Burgundy, or northern Italy, look for older vintages. Too many restaurants list big name estates for prestige, but only offer bottles from recent vintages that aren't ready to drink. You'd be better off with the house red.

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Cune Imperial Gran Reserva Rioja, Spain 2004 (£28 if you buy two bottles, Majestic)

The traditional top reds of Rioja are marked out from their counterparts in Bordeaux in that they are released only after a long period of ageing.

Give the sommelier a chance

A good sommelier, of which there are many more in the UK than there used to be, can add to your evening. They get genuine pleasure out of guiding you to their favourite bottles and food matches. You'll need to be firm on your budget (they can get carried away), but why not let them choose for you? At the very worst, it's sure to be better than the second cheapest wine on the list.

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Quinta do Soalheiro Alvarinho, Vinho Verde, Portugal 2012 (from £14.95, Lay & Wheeler)

The sort of wine that sommeliers love: they can explain that alvarinho is Portuguese for the more familiar albariño from Spain, and that the brilliant Quinta do Soalheiro take 70s favourite vinho verde to a whole new level of white peachy refinement.