Hi-lighting Terroir

New series highlights specific vineyards

By Estelle Rogers

HiFi is a destination. Owner Evan Martin’s vision for HiFi Wine Bar is equal parts wine, music, design and community– a place for “wine and music nerds” to engage in thoughtful conversations. With a curated collection of soul, funk, jazz and rhythmic music vinyl records, the wine bar features local Oregon notables, celebratory bubbles and 36 pages of bottles from regions around the world. It’s a place for everyone from seasoned experts to novices learning about wine, even people thirsty for a nonalcoholic beverage.

Open since 2021, HiFi has changed the downtown McMinnville experience. Walk through the door to see the timeless roots of the past– literally. A grapevine root turned chandelier, pulled from Amity’s Jessie James Vineyard, looms over the space, while large slabs adorn the walls, crafted from a tree found in the Zena Forest of the Eola-Amity Hills. All support the Martin Woods Winery motto, “In terroir we trust,” Martin’s winery.

In June, HiFi Wine Bar began its Terroir Sessions, with the first installment dedicated to Temperance Hill Vineyard and the wines crafted from fruit grown there. Producers included Morgan Long, St. Innocent Winery, Goodfellow Family Cellars, Martin Woods Winery, J.K. Carriere Wines, Lumos Wine Company, Elk Cove Vineyards, Pike Road Wines, Evesham Wood, Granville Wine Co., Vincent Wine Company, Violin Wine, Nicolas-Jay, Division Winemaking Company, Walter Scott Wines, Brooks Wines, LAVINEA Wines and Abbott Claim.

Why Temperance Hill? “We’re fans, we drink and sell Temperance Hill, and love it. We believe HiFi is a special place, so where better to bring wine enthusiasts together?,” explains sommelier Davis Dixon. Stemware was swirling and chatter over wines, winemaking choices and all things Temperance Hill was buzzing at the sold-out event.

Temperance Hill, a sprawling 100-acre vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills appellation, is home to vines as old as 42 years. Primarily Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, with small plantings of Pinot Gris and Aligoté are overseen and cared for by Dai Crisp, a highly respected vineyard manager and co-owner of Lumos Winery. Crisp is focused on maintaining a healthy ecosystem within the dry-farmed, certified organic and Salmon-Safe vineyard. In 2016, Wine Enthusiast called Temperance Hill one of “Five Great Oregon Vineyards Worth Knowing.”

“If I had Saturday off, I would come to this. We like creating events we would want to attend,” notes wine director Ben Denton. “Temperance Hill embodies everything this event celebrates: a single vineyard producing soulful, site-transparent wines across a range of producers, while representing the best of Oregon’s past, present and future. It’s a place of quiet intensity, shaped by devoted intention and unmistakable character. This is a vineyard whose voice deserves to be heard in chorus.”

Upcoming sessions are still in the planning stage but might include Koosah Vineyard and Hyland Vineyard. Stay informed by signing up for email updates or following HiFi’s social media. From guest DJs every Saturday to trivia nights and live music, event pricing is intentionally reasonable. Denton explains, “We make events accessible. By ensuring affordability, we get the people who want to be here, here.”

HiFi Wine Bar, open Wednesday through Friday, 2 to 10 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 1 to 10 p.m., is located at 711 N.E. Third St., McMinnville. Live DJ spin vinyl every Saturday evening, and if you are lucky, you may bump into the town’s more well-known citizens playing pool.

HiFi Wine Bar
711 N.E. Third St., McMinnville
Wed.–Fri. 2 to 10 p.m.
Sat.–Sun. 1 to 10 p.m
hifiwinebar.com
(503) 376-8285

Estelle Rogers is a freelance travel writer based in McMinnville. She enjoys Pinot Noir, small towns and slow travel. An avid European traveler—carry-on luggage only—and a professional cat sitter, Estelle enjoys finding stories around every corner. She is a member of the International Food, Wine and Travel Association.