Nearly one in five San Franciscans has a graduate degree, and we all love our wine, so it’s no surprise that we’re obsessed with educating our palates. But getting a wealth of wine know-how need not require enrollment in UC Davis’s oenology program. Here, the best places to (casually) learn the finer points of those rhônes and rheingauses.

Sommelier Mark Bright may be only 25, but his reputation among wine distributors gives him access to the very best bottles, which he shares in guided tastings at Rincon Hill’s Local Wine Merchant. A table is set in the store, 6 to 10 glasses are poured, and the fun begins. Once the wines have been swirled, sipped, analyzed, and discussed, Bright orders his fav­orite entrées from the kitchen for the table to share. Classes can be pricey (a recent tasting of exalted chablis from Domaine Raveneau was $110), but they feature wines you may never see or taste again, so the privilege is worth the cost. 330 1st St., 415-777-4200, sf-local.com

At Maverick’s One-of-a-Kind Wine Wednesdays, wine director Mike Pierce pairs three tastes of one varietal with concoctions from the restaurant’s kitchen, explaining how the region and growing conditions affect the wine, and how it complements the food. While a fruity syrah from California’s North Coast cuts the spice of meatballs with smoked-chili barbecue sauce, a rhône-style syrah from the cool Carneros region pairs well with short ribs and sherry vinaigrette. $35, 3316 17th St., 415-863-3061, sfmaverick.com

At the Professional Culinary Institute in Campbell, master sommelier Catherine Fallis (only the fifth woman in the world to have earned the title) often leads informative but casual monthly classes in a state-of-the-art wine lab. Open to the public, her workshops run several hours and cover all the details of a given varietal or follow a theme, like Tuscan wines or France versus California. Show that you know the difference between a sangiovese and a syrah at the popular Wine Roulette blind tastings. Samples of up to a dozen wines—paired with small plates prepared by the institute’s chefs—are included. $75, 700 W. Hamilton Ave., Campbell, 866-318-2433, pciwine.com

The wines highlighted at Bar Bambino’s new monthly wine-and-cheese tastings aren’t the kind you can pick up at BevMo. From an acidic passito nosiola to a bubbly (yes, bubbly) red blend that smells strongly fruity but tastes heavily tannic, these vinos have been specially chosen for their unexpected interactions with artisanal cheeses. Owner and Italian-wine specialist Christopher Losa and cheesemonger Colin Shaff guide a captive audience through the pairings on the restaurant’s sunny back patio. $45, 2931 16th St., 415-701-8466, barbambino.com

Classes at the 40-plus-year-old Jug Shop go way beyond kingdom (whites or reds) and phylum (chardonnay or cabernet) to order and family. Recent tastings have included the spar­k­­ling wines of Franciacorta ($10), hosted by the Majolini family, who flew in from Italy; and a myriad of varietals from Australia’s West Cape Howe ($5). In addition to the reasonably priced in-store tastings ($20 buys two dozen samples of bottles ranging $15–250), the Jug Shop also sponsors dinners around town with winemakers from all over the Bay Area. 1590 Pacific Ave., 415-885-2922, thejugshop.com