Barolo meets biryani — and it works
Fillmore · San Francisco · Indian, Regional · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 11, 2026
Wingman Metrics
You walk into Copra expecting a standard Indian restaurant wine list — a token Riesling, maybe a rosé — and instead you get a focused Italian program that actually has a point of view. It's a confident swing, and mostly it lands. The list isn't enormous, but it doesn't feel padded either.
The list leans hard into Italy, and not the obvious tourist-trap Italy — we're talking Barolo from Piedmont, Brunello di Montalcino, Amarone della Valpolicella, and Super Tuscans sitting alongside lighter white options like Soave and Vermentino. The logic here is sound: the tannic structure and earthy depth of Nebbiolo-based wines hold their own against bold spicing and fatty lamb preparations in a way that California Cab rarely does. Whites are less developed as a category, but the Soave and Vermentino picks show someone at least thought about acid and weight. There are gaps — no real exploration of southern Italy, nothing from Sicily or Campania that might echo the heat and funk of South Asian spice — but what's here is intentional.
With 10 to 16 pours available, the by-the-glass program is genuinely workable for a weeknight dinner. The range tracks the bottle list, so you can get a proper Italian red or a crisp white without committing to a full bottle on a Tuesday. Rotation details aren't fully clear, which keeps this from being a standout glass program, but the selection is better than most Indian restaurants in the city by a significant margin.
Soave — $12
At the entry price point, a well-made Soave is one of the most food-friendly white wines on earth — high acid, subtle almond bitterness, and citrus that cuts through creamy sauces. At Copra's floor price it's a genuinely smart pour before your curry arrives.
Vermentino
Everyone gravitates toward the big reds here, but Vermentino is the sleeper. It's got enough texture and herbal salinity to stand up to spiced vegetable dishes and dosas without overwhelming them — and most diners walk right past it.
Amarone della Valpolicella
Amarone is a gorgeous wine, but at an Indian restaurant it's a tough sell — it's so rich, raisined, and high-alcohol that it steamrolls delicate spice work rather than complementing it. Unless you're ordering it purely for the experience, there are better matches on this list for the food.
Barolo + Lamb curry
Nebbiolo's firm tannins, dried rose petal character, and tar-and-earth backbone sync up surprisingly well with slow-braised lamb in a rich, aromatic curry. The wine's acidity keeps things moving; the structure doesn't get swallowed by the spice. This is the pairing that makes the whole concept click.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Copra is doing something genuinely unusual — pairing a serious Italian wine program with bold regional Indian cooking — and it earns its Wine Spectator nod for having the conviction to follow through on it. If you're skeptical that Barolo belongs next to a lamb curry, this is the place to let yourself be wrong.
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