Giants add master sommelier to its lineup

Stealing a first, Evan Goldstein is joining the San Francisco Giants as the first master sommelier for a professional sports organization.

Goldstein, a lifelong Giants fan, is just one of 269 master sommeliers worldwide. He passed the prestigious master sommelier exam at age 26, becoming only the eighth American to do so and the youngest ever at the time. Goldstein is the author of four books and has been included twice in intowine.com’s “Top 100 Most Influential People in the U.S. Wine Industry.”

Starting with April 15, 1977, opening day at Candlestick Park, the home of the Giants has long been known for selling an extensive assortment of world-class wine at games. That’s the day stadium wine service was first introduced to Major League Baseball fans.

Today, Oracle Park has a wine bar on each level, California wine carts along the Promenade and View Levels and seven other locations that offer wine on tap.

As part of the partnership, Goldstein will:

Host in-person and virtual wine tasting sessions for various Giants customer groups.

Offer wine pairing concepts for Oracle Park and Giants-specific culinary offerings.

Assist with the selection of wines featured, introducing fans to a variety of regions and profiles.

Curate wine-related programs for the Giants community, i.e. wine country field trips, member programming and other wine-related activities.

Explore unique wine related programs, partnerships and opportunities.

Collaborate with current and former Giants players who are both involved in the wine industry and/or have an interest in wine.

“Wine, like baseball, is an experience ... it creates and impacts memories and brings people together,” said Goldstein. “Delicious wines can be mainstream and accessible, and as happy being alongside a hot dog as a premium steak. I am excited to collaborate with the Giants to create a new wine benchmark for sports entertainment.”