The real reason to buy a $45-95 wine is so that is has the structure to withstand 10-15 years in the cellar to blow your taste buds out the back of your neck when you finally get around to drinking it.

If you've never done it go, just once, to a high end French restaurant order lite and spend $300-400 on a bottle of wine. You'll remember the taste for years and top down is a much better strategy for building an appreciation for wine then starting with two-buck-chuck and working your way up.