The Team
Evan Martin - Founder, Vigneron
Growing up in Indiana, family gatherings around the dinner table were a nightly ritual, with simple wine playing an important (but unspoken) role for Evan’s parents, Bill and Margo Martin. Basketball was Evan’s focus until he left Indiana for college in Durango, Colorado, seeking adventure in the mountains.
After finishing college in Seattle in 2004 Evan began frequenting a neighborhood wine shop (European Vine Selections) and for the first time started exploring with intention the world of wine. He was romanced by wine’s ability to transport him in both place and time, which fed his youthful sense of wanderlust. And so newly armed with an undergraduate degree in philosophy, Evan moved to Walla Walla, Washington, to work a wine harvest at Seven Hills winery, under veteran winemaker Casey McClellan.
Following two harvests at Seven Hills, Evan pursued his dreams of being a ski bum in the Rockies, while working in restaurants to pay the bills. He eventually landed in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where a fine-dining gig inspired him to dig deeper into wine appreciation, leading to a stint as a wine buyer. Evan was introduced to the wines of the Willamette Valley at this time — and they seemed to have a beautiful resemblance to the wines of France, which he had fallen deeply in love with.
His arrival in Oregon was in 2009, after a cousin helped him secure a harvest internship at Belle Pente winery with proprietors Jill and Brian O’Donnell. Evan found his home. He returned to Belle Pente again and again for harvest, then assumed the role of assistant winemaker in 2012.
As the sole winery employee, Evan studied the winemaking process from beginning to end, harvest to bottling. He gained a passion to explore other terroirs and, in 2014, enough confidence to start producing wine for himself, then he took a giant step forward in 2017 when he built his own winery on a wooded property in the coastal foothills near McMinnville.
Evan’s story is bottom-up, starting small and re-investing every cent earned back into a growing portfolio of wines, all the while striving to learn, by patient observation and attention, how to be better at the craft. He eventually began to tap into winemaking as fine art, as not only a vocation, but also an all-encompassing way of life, expression and community. Part of this journey was creating HiFi wine bar — celebrating it’s third year in 2024 — where the wine industry comes together in a casual, music-filled atmosphere to drink the truly great wines of the world, with the edifying perspective which that affords.
Evan continues to build the Martin Woods “Dream Team” and he looks to the future with tremendous excitement. He believes that Oregon has arrived at a moment of time when it can produce some of the finest, more compelling, most sought-after wines in the world.
Jason “JRo” Romero - National Sales Director
Jason, aka “JRo” grew up in Nambe, New Mexico and pursued a degree in business at the University of New Mexico. After graduating, he chose not to pursue a corporate job, but instead returned to hospitality, waiting tables in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The Court of Master Sommeliers had newly introduced a “certified” level to its program and soon thereafter, Jason aligned his attention and focus to a budding passion: the study of wine.
During this time, another important connection would be made. A fated invitation to a chicken roast hosted by a co-worker named Evan Martin. Evan soon moved to Oregon to learn about viticulture and oenology and Jason was quickly recruited by a wine distributor for an open sales territory.
Over the years, they both grew professionally, but in parallel; Evan as a wine maker and Jason managing a distribution company. This parallel one day merged as Jason became the first distributor to represent Evan’s wines outside of Oregon, in New Mexico, where their story began.
Since day one, Jason has not only been a friend and confidante, but a staunch advocate and ambassador for the wines. He embodies the spirit of Martin Woods’ ethos and does so with infectuous enthusiasm, warmth, passion and genuine gratitude.
Porter Elliott - Assistant Winemaker
Porter was born in Billings, MT, in the 1980s. His parents preferred French wine over domestic beer, and they kept a large garden, often enjoying summer meals outdoors with Beaujolais and Rhône wines. Winters were dedicated to skiing, a tradition that continues today.
After high school in 1997, Porter moved to Big Sky to snowboard and ski, working nights in restaurants and returning to Billings each off-season to save for the next. His interest in wine deepened while working at Enzo Mediterranean Bistro, which led to opportunities in distribution, first with Red White and Blush, and later with Winegardner's Wines. After roughly eight years, he planned to take a winter off to ski but instead ended up at Bucks T4, where he expanded the wine program and first encountered Martin Woods.
Porter and Evan met on a sales/ski trip to Big Sky. Though Porter had no production experience, Evan offered him an internship at Martin Woods Winery in 2020. This is now his fifth year. Evan and Porter have aligned closely in both wine and adventure. While Montana remains home, Porter now spends much of the year in Oregon, focused on his work at Martin Woods Winery.
Aaron Michael - Cellar Master & Director of Hospitality
Aaron is the latest addition to the Martin Woods & HiFi team, hailing from Colorado’s Roaring Fork Valley. With an extensive background in wine retail, he's fiercely dedicated to making the world of wine more inclusive and inviting.
Now at home in McMinnville, Aaron cherishes the ability to share his passion intimately with Oregon’s diverse wine community. Aaron works as Cellar Master at Martin Woods undertaking key work to support Evan and getting wine to the markets and in the hands of our wine club members.
Aaron also manages hospitality at the Winery, coordinating and managing the limited tastings reserved for wine club members and others who are able to secure a limited appointment.
When he's not enchanting others with the stories behind each label, you'll find him exploring Mother Nature's endless offerings.
Ben Denton - Wine Director, GM at HiFi Wine Bar
Ben is originally from Bloomington, IN. He has worked in the wine and hospitality industry for the past 18 years as a Dishwasher, Server, Sommelier, Wine Director, Retail Manager, Distribution Rep, Cellar Hand, and DTC Educator. In 2012, Ben moved from Indiana to Washington State to continue a career in the wine field.
With the help of an amazing wine community in Seattle, Ben was able to pass the Advanced Sommelier Exam (Court of Master Sommeliers) in 2017. A year later, he moved to Oregon to continue exploring the Pacific Northwest.
Ben opened HiFi Wine Bar with Evan Martin in September 2021. He is now the GM and Wine Director. He’s an avid student of wine and loves to cook with his wife and two cats. He enjoys reading, spinning vinyl, playing tennis, and tossing a frisbee in his free time.
