Some decisions are easier than others

If you know me, you'll know that at times I can be frustratingly indecisive. I blame it on my birth sign. But sometimes it's because there are too many good options that it makes choosing difficult.

As much fun as it was to try some new Italian wines last weekend at Sociale, when I saw the Copain Tous Ensemble Pinot Noir from Anderson Valley on the wine list at dinner this past Saturday night, I had no hesitation in making a decision.

We were at Rose Pistola (rosepistolasf.com) after an exceedingly hot day in the Bay Area. The restaurant was lively without seeming crowded. A nice breeze blew in through the open window just beyond our table.

As you would expect from an establishment located in the heart of North Beach in San Francisco, the wine list included many Italian wines. The list was approximately 8 pages long, and I was glad to see that it offered options from all over the world. I recognized quite a few bottles from California and I also noticed that the mark-up was not excessive. I guess I wasn't the only one who noticed because there appeared to be a bottle of wine on every table around us.

We had not decided on any appetizers or entrees yet--they all looked delicious!--so ordering a bottle of Pinot Noir seemed like our best bet in terms of versatility. At $44 a bottle, the Copain Pinot was an excellent value.

Seconds after I closed the wine list, a manager (or sommelier?) approached our table and took our wine order. I was relieved when he collected the all-purpose wine glasses from the table and returned with Burgundy stemware. Finally, a restaurant that understands the importance of varietal-specific stemware!

He presented the bottle to me and placed the cork on the table. The wine was just as tasty as I remembered.

A beautiful bright red hue with a medium-light body, this wine offered floral aromas and good acidity. The palate was a delightful concoction of strawberry, cherry, and pomegranate flavors. The finish was short, but the wine was so easy to drink that the time that elapsed between sips was short, too.

Our dinner was delicious, and everything paired nicely with the wine. The menu was as diverse as the wine list, with many appetizers, soups and salads, pasta dishes, and large entrees. Spring vegetables and seasonal flavors were highlighted throughout the menu.

After much debate, we decided on the beef carpaccio and burrata with fava beans to start. These were both absolutely fabulous appetizers, especially with the warm focaccia bread they served. Each of us ordered a different pasta dish; I had the parpadelle with asparagus and pork sugo.

Our only complaint was the lack of follow-up after our main course was served. I am a big fan of pepper--I add more than most people do, so I prefer to have the pepper grinder on the table, within easy reach. Sprinkling pepper on my meal is in no way an insult to the chef, it's just my preference.

I've noticed more and more restaurants do not provide salt and pepper on the table. If they offer it to you when your meal is served, that's one thing, but we were not offered. My boyfriend waited patiently to get the attention of the staff to request pepper as his pasta got cold. Finally, we were able to flag down a busboy--apparently the restaurant had very few pepper grinders because he had to run all the way to the front of the restaurant to fetch one.

With some fresh pepper on the last few bites of my pasta, I was quite content. As we finished the wine, we considered the dessert options. Although they looked enticing, we decided we were too full for another bite.

I highly recommend Rose Pistola and I will definitely go back. And I just might have to join Copain's wine club to get regular shipments of their delicious Pinot Noir (copainwines.com).