I am so drawn to the charred and chewy crust of the pizzas at Pizzeria Picco that I find myself making the drive over the Golden Gate Bridge to Larkspur about once a week. A significant part of Pizzeria Picco’s appeal is the thoughtful list of wines assembled by wine director Sarah Knoefler, composed of Californian, Italian, French, and Spanish wines, all delicious and all well priced, to complement the fresh ingredients and flavors of those addictive pies. I would be hard pressed to come up with a more satisfying meal than a glass (or bottle) of Rosé or cava from Knoefler’s wine selections with Pizzeria Picco’s perfectly executed margherita pizza, with its pureed sweet tomatoes and bubbly mozzarella, accented by minty, fresh basil leaves wilted by the intense heat of the wood-fired oven. Or I might opt for a glass of Viognier or Garganega with the house-cured salumi selection prepared by sous chef Jared Rogers (who also has a hand in Picco’s risottos made from scratch every half hour). Next door at Picco, the small plates range from kanpachi crudo and bite-sized soy-marinated tuna tartare with crunchy cubes of Asian pear on sticky rice blini to avocado-chorizo bruschetta with sea salt, and gourmet sliders made of grass-fed beef. Whether you take the casual pizza route or indulge in the white-tablecloth experience, Knoefler’s list has something to match each of these diverse Cal-Ital-Asian creations by chef-owner Bruce Hill and chef Chris Whaley. But if you have questions, just ask the vivacious blonde with the Energizer Bunny zeal. Knoefler may have the face of a teenager, but she wields the encyclopedic wine knowledge and palate of an old master.       

What was your approach to the wine list at Picco?
   

We wanted wines for every price range and every palate, but I was generally looking for balanced wines with good acidity that would complement the food here. Even though what is popular tends to be big, oaky wines and rich Pinot Noirs that seem more like Syrah, those types of wines can overpower the food. For the pizzeria, most of the wines are under $40, and they have to be drinkable and unpretentious. Wines by the glass are the biggest challenge because those are the ones people are trying most of the time, and I wanted a lot of variety in the selections by the glass for the different small plates at Picco. They have to be interesting and versatile yet priced right.      

Do you have a personal favorite wine to go with pizza?
   

Primitivo [genetically equivalent to Zinfandel] is my current favorite, but any earthy red works. But wine is very individual. What is the weather like?  Did you have coffee earlier?  All of these things can affect wine preferences. When I eat, I usually pick the wine first, then pair the wine with the food.

What is your favorite wine?
   

The 1991 Vega Sicilia Unico is probably the best bottle I have ever had. But what I like on a given day totally depends on my mood. I love Rieslings from Pfalz. I love Italian whites.  

What is your best selling wine?
   

Sauvignon Blancs and Chardonnays are very popular. Pinot Blanc from Napa is also growing in popularity. And of course Pinot Noirs are still incredibly popular, although people do not seem to go for the big Napa Cabs as much these days.

How did you first get into wine?
   
I have been working in restaurants since I was 15, but I did not really consider a career in wine until I spent a summer in Italy during college. [Knoefler has a degree in archeology from Brandeis University.]  For the first time in my life, I experienced pairing wine with food. I drank Brunellos, Chiantis, and generally fell in love with Italian wines.

Is wine still a male-dominated industry?

More and more women are getting into wine, and I am seeing more women sommeliers in the business, but I would say wine still tends to be a very masculine arena. For example, when I go to restaurants with my boyfriend, they always give him the wine list. As far as customers go, if I were to generalize, I would say that men tend to be more knowledgeable about labels whereas women tend to be more experimental.

How do you deal with people who have different wine preferences or tastes from yours?
   

I try to find out what profile of wines they like and what they usually drink. If possible, I try to get people to try something new by picking something similar to what they usually drink. I have only had one person send a wine back. I love exposing people to new flavors and new experiences. 

Do you have a preference between the wine novice and the wine expert?
   

I like to draw people out of their comfort zone, so it doesn’t really matter which category people fall into, but I have found that people who are not as experienced with wine tend to be a little more adventurous.

Do you have wines that you feel have to be appreciated in order to serve?
   

No. I do have a lot of lesser-known labels, which are great wines that do not require blowing lots of money. And I do regular wine tasting with the staff so that I’m not the only one “holding the key” to the wine information.

I know you live in the City; where do you like to eat when you are not working?
   

I eat here five nights a week, and otherwise it’s Chinese takeout. My boyfriend is a private chef, and I also cook at home. On the rare night out, I tend to go to Nopa because it is open late and they have a fun wine list. I drink wine all the time and have a ton of bottles lying around at home.

Picco: 320 Magnolia Ave. (at King), Larkspur; dinner nightly 5-10 p.m.; 415-924-0300, www.restaurantpicco.com    

Pizzeria Picco: 320 Magnolia Ave. (at King), Larkspur; Mon.-Fri. 5-10 p.m., Sat.-Sun. noon-10 p.m.; 415-945-8400, www.pizzeriapicco.com
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