It’s been awhile since I checked out one of Total Wine’s Wine Education Classes, but when a “Tour de France” class popped up on their schedule last week, I found the perfect excuse to return. Anyone who reads our columns knows that I’m a big fan of anything French. I love these wines for their history, their generations of tradition, the pride of those who make them, and the back of the closet, musty attic, downright funkiness of their character. Sous bois, you say? Yes, please!

My husband and I arrived promptly for the 6:30 p.m. class and settled in for a two-hour tour of the mothership of wine that is France. Guiding us were Total Wine wine manager, Gabriel Schnirman and wine associate Rocke Greco.

Total Wine’s classes are a great resource for anyone at a beginning or intermediate level of wine knowledge. And even for those who have spent more time studying, they offer a great opportunity to try a selection of wine at a fair $25 price tag. This class started in Alsace, jumped to Champagne, then Provence, the Loire, Burgundy, The Rhone, both banks of Bordeaux and finished in heavenly sweet Sauternes. There was plenty of information, sipping and fun along the way. Here were some of my favorites:

De Margerie Grand Cru Brut — Bouzy, Champagne $37.99

Wine manager, Gabriel Schnirman praised this wine for its unique character and good value. It’s not easy to find a sparkling wine from a Grand Cru village in Champagne below the $40 pricemark, and this is a nice one. Made from 90 percent pinot noir and 10 percent chardonnay, this wine has a pale gold color and a nose of red apple peel and red berries with hints of breadiness and minerality. It’s full of tiny bubbles that tickle the tongue and its fresh fruit flavors are balanced by a bright acidity.

2011 Christian Salmon Sancerre Viellies Vignes — Loire Valley $19.99

This wine is definitely not for everyone, but for those who love the funk like I do, Christian Salmon’s Sancerre has plenty. It’s made from 100 percent sauvignon blanc from vines that average 35 years old. The classic citrus fruit of sauvignon blanc takes a back seat here to very vegetal, grassy and earthy essences. This is green olive, bell pepper and asparagus, wet, cut grass and (gasp!) cat pee with a bit of lemon and white grapefruit thrown in for good measure. We were talking food pairings while tasting this wine and someone suggested a fresh arugula salad with goat cheese. I couldn’t agree more.

2006 Domaine des Perdrix Nuits-Saint-Georges — Burgundy, $49.99

I’ve had plenty of conversations with wine lovers about how their palates progress over time. Most of us start with something light and slightly sweet - perhaps a white zinfandel, moscato or off-dry riesling. As the palate evolves, we move to drier whites, light, fruit-forward reds, bigger, bolder flavors and onward to more complexity and nuance. Of course, every person’s tastes are different, but for many people I’ve talked to, Burgundy is culmination of their journey, the holy grail of wine.

What is the fascination with Burgundy? The reds are mainly pinot noir, a notoriously fickle grape that has been the ruin of many a winemaker. The land inheritance laws, courtesy of Napoleon, make the region extremely difficult to study and understand. And they can be stratospherically expensive. These wines are sensual, seductive, elusive and mysterious - they are for the emotions and dreams as much as the visceral senses.

But, I digress, as one seems to do in Burgundy. Though certainly not the best this region has to offer, this red from the village of Nuits-Saint-Georges is an elegant wine that’s worth every penny. It has a subtle, yet complex nose of red cherry, earth, leather and smoke with spicy and gamey nuances. Every swirl and sniff revealed something new. On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied and smooth with soft tannins, great balance and a dry, lingering finish. Definitely a highlight of the tasting.

2009 Chateau Dauzac Margaux — Bordeaux, $49.99

I’ve had the opportunity to try a few different vintages of this wine in the past couple of years. All of them have been solid. While Margaux wines are often classified as ‘feminine’ in style (and I tend to agree with this descriptor as they compare to the wines of nearby Pauillac), this lady was all business. A powerful red with a concentrated aroma of black cherry and black berry with hints of minerality, toasted oak and red flowers greets the nose. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied and elegantly balanced with well-integrated tannins and a long finish. After 5 hours in a decanter, the wine was perfect to drink, though it could age for some time.

2008 Chateau Rieussec Sauternes 1er Grand Cru Classé — Bordeaux, $39.99 (375 ml)

Made from mostly sémillon grapes attacked by noble rot, the wines of Sauternes are luxuriously rich and sweet. This wine from Chateau Rieussec was unique and complex. I didn’t pick out the characteristic peach and apricot I find on many of the wines from Sauternes - instead I smelled a mix of carmelized pineapple, lemon rind and toasted coconut with hints of vanilla and cream. It was like a delicious pina colada or coconut cream pie with just a hint of that classic ripe peach on the finish. The wine was balanced by a nice acidity (though I would have liked more) that kept it refreshing, rather than cloying.

THE INFO: Total Wine hosts 2-hour wine education classes on different topics throughout the year. September classes include the “Tantalizing Wine of Tuscany” and “Sexy wines of Spain and Portugal.” Tickets cost $25 per class. Reservations can be made in advance by calling your local store.