Craig, your Spain experience mirrors my Italy experience. Same, but to a lesser extent, in France. And same in Spain with whites, which I’m usually ordering due to food selections.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with having it both ways. Drink the stuff you’re not familiar with that the locals are glugging - sure. Drink the underpriced gems because the locals are happy drinking the stuff you’re not familiar with - you bet. We had '88 Krug and '90 Drouhin Griottes Chambertin at Cibreo in Florence in 2004 because they were priced so attractively. Shared with the somm. Three of us got a fourth dish for every course. I still remember the meal and the wines. Mmm. On the other side of the coin, was taken to a traditional 3-course lunch in Belgium and ordered the bottomless glass of house red. I don’t remember exactly where it was from but it was delicious and I remember that experience too.
Cheers,
fred