By Linda Badger

What is as effervescent as a just-popped bottle of Champagne and as exhilarating as a grand slam? The answer: Richmond District resident Evan Goldstein talking about his two great loves – wine and the San Francisco Giants.

Goldstein was born and raised in San Francisco. In 1987, became the youngest person in the United States to attain the prestigious title of master sommelier.

In addition to being a recognized expert in every facet of the wine industry, his other passion is being a lifelong Giants fan. As a kid he took the bus to windy Candlestick Park with his friends. When the then-Pac Bell ballpark first opened in 2000, he immediately signed up for season tickets.

In 2022, Goldstein hit a career grand slam of his own when he was hired by the Giants as the team’s master sommelier – the first such position for any sports team anywhere.

Goldstein has lived in the Inner Richmond for nearly 30 years. The Richmond District was a perfect San Francisco location for him to settle down. It not only has quick access to the Wine Country, but also a “living, breathing wine culture” of its own.

He and his fellow sommeliers meet at Kitchen Istanbul on Clement Street for its surprisingly large and eclectic wine list. Other Richmond District wine bars include High Treason (Clement Street); Slake (Balboa Street); and Tofino Wine and Dine (Geary Boulevard). This Summer, Tofino will reopen on Balboa as “Tomorrow’s Wine” touting “the best selection of natural wine in the Bay Area,” and promising “regular wine tastings with winemakers and importers from around the world.” Richmond restaurants also contribute to the cutting-edge wine culture; the Laundromat on Balboa, for example, features new “all natural” wines, and Cantina Los Mayas, also on Balboa, features the first all-Mexican wine list in the United States.

The Giants also have a deeply rooted wine culture, which they are seeking to expand with Goldstein’s help. The Giants first served wine at Candlestick Park in 1977. Today, Oracle Park has more than seven wine bars offering everything from pinot noir to Prosecco.

Many baseball fans in the Bay Area are already wine enthusiasts. Nevertheless, when they come to the ballpark, they seem to get “amnesia,” Goldstein said, and only think about “hot dogs and beer.” He wants these fans to “give themselves permission to have a glass of wine during the game” and hopes to introduce other fans to the wine experience.

As the master sommelier for the Giants, Goldstein assists with the wines featured in the ballpark, facilitates wine pairings with its culinary offerings, collaborates with Giants’ players interested in wine or the wine industry, and organizes wine-related activities for fans. Given the Bay Area’s proximity to the wine country, many players or former players have become vintners. Ex-Giant great Dusty Baker, for example, founded Baker Family Wines in 2012, and is said to have an excellent 2022 sauvignon blanc. Rich Aurilia, a former shortstop for the Giants, has his own “Red Stitch” wine label (referring to the red stitches on a baseball).

Goldstein sees “incredible parallels” between wine and baseball. Both wine and baseball “need to reach out to new audiences to grow,” he said. Goldstein is reaching out to grow a greater audience for wine “through the lens of baseball.”

In mid-June, during fan appreciation week, Goldstein and the Giants hosted a wine and food pairing event for more than 200 season ticket holders. Sonoma County vintners poured a wide variety of wines, and each fan was asked to vote for which wine paired best with a hot dog, Tony’s Pizza and the Crazy Crab Sandwich. Goldstein was impressed with the results.

“They did very well,” he said. The fans paired hot dogs with a Zinfandel, pizza with a pinot noir and a sauvignon blanc with the crab sandwich, “popping the sweetness of the crab.”

According to Goldstein, more wine-related experiences and explorations are coming to Oracle Park this season. Plans are in the works to introduce “natural” wine, which appeals to a younger audience. He also hopes to promote more portable and affordable canned wines at the ballpark to make wine a hit all the way out to the bleachers.

Goldstein’s mother is the famed Bay Area chef and author, Joyce Goldstein, so he knows fine food as well as wine. Nevertheless, he considers himself a “huge hot dog head,” and unapologetically offers tips on wine pairings with everything from popcorn and Crackerjacks to Oracle Park’s more sophisticated cuisine.

“Crispy crunchy foods love bubbles,” he said, suggesting a glass of sparkling wine with your Gilroy garlic fries, chicken tenders or fish and chips. “Slightly sweet foods need slightly sweet wines,” so if you put sweet relish on your hot dog, are eating Crackerjacks, kettle corn or even a Caribbean BBQ Cha Cha Bowl, “opt for an off-dry white – Prosecco, Riesling or even a Moscato.” He suggests Chardonnay with seafood, such as the popular Crazy Crab Sandwich or Crazy Crab Fries. For his beloved all-beef hot dog with mustard, onions and sauerkraut, Goldstein chooses a “bright, youthful Zinfandel,” which he considers the “all-American match.”

Before the game, fans can visit the Oracle Park Food and Beverage Directory (mlb.com/giants/ballpark/food/concessions-directory) and locate where each variety of “house or specialty wine” can be found, and can also check out the “traditional ballpark fare” or “culinary specialties” they might wish to pair with their wines.

Food and wine are an integral part of the Bay Area experience and culture. To enjoy some wine and food in a San Francisco location with a beautiful view of the Bay and outdoor seating, think about taking yourself out to the “old ballgame.” With Goldstein’s plans for wine and food events and offerings at Oracle Park, you might find that it is a whole new ballgame.