Despite the fact that I shop for wine every week and I drink it
daily, I know very little about wines. For years I've resisted the
impulse to learn more; my stubborn attitude has been something like
"I know I like the stuff, so why complicate this simple pleasure?"
But in fact, I find myself distressingly often in situations in
which I wish I knew more about wines. The usual: 1) what to order
when at a restaurant; or 2) what wine to give as a gift.

Can a "wine tasting/appreciation" course help me here? I ask because
I really don't know what is it that one learns in such a course.
If they just have me taste wines of various qualities side-by-side
so that I can learn what is it that makes a wine "better" than
another, this knowledge would not help me when I'm staring at a
wines list or at shelves at the wine store.

Aside from the above, what should I look for in a wine tasting/appreciation
course? What makes a good course? What makes a bad one?

If anybody knows of a good class to learn about wines in the
Boston/Cambridge (Massachusetts, USA) area, please let me know!

TIA,

bill