Spring has arrived in the Willamette Valley in all its capricious glory. We still see snow atop Mary’s Peak to the West, while the cherry trees and tulips are blooming here on the valley floor. Passing rain showers and rainbows turn to sunny afternoons and chilly evenings. The vineyards are just waking up from a cold sleepy winter and redirecting nutrients to start new growth.

As of April 1, Vineyards are pruned and ready for the growing season. The wet late winter and spring that we had in Willamette Valley made farming in the field difficult, but the crew has worked through the wet days and have the vines ready for bud break which will most likely come mid-April. Sun has started to shine giving us some drying weather and waking up the vines. Looking forward to a great 2024 growing season.

The Compton Family Farm has welcomed an assortment of baby animals into the world over the last few months. Tabitha’s late Christmas gift was Milo and Luna’s second litter of Maremma Sheepdog puppies. At the time of writing this, we still have one puppy, Orange, waiting for his forever home. Orange is the sweetest of his litter and the favorite of our middle son, because he would allow anyone to hold him for as long as they wanted. (Winter break was an extended Orange cuddling session). In February we moved our pregnant Katahdin sheep and Alpine goat mommas from the vineyard into the barn to get cozy and comfortable to give birth. Two sets of Alpine goat twins, all males, were born on Valentine’s Day. (If anyone is interested in cute baby goats that will make great brush clearers and fertilizer generators, we’ve got ‘em for you). Our five Katahdin ewes gave birth to eleven healthy lambs at the end of February and we have been enjoying watching the lambs race around the farm and meet the sheepdogs. March was the month of adding pigs. Tabitha carefully selected two Duroc breeder pigs from Nebraska to breed later in the year and our youngest son just got two 4H pigs delivered from Illinois. We still have two of the original three Kunekune pigs who live the life of spoiled farm pets.

Adaptive grazing of livestock is part of our “from beneath the soil up” regenerative agriculture plan. Our livestock also feeds our family, and maybe yours too! 2024 is our third year of offering locker lamb shares to our members and we plan to have Compton Farms raised pork for sale in 2025. We have fewer lamb shares available than last year, so email quickly to get on the list for fall pickup. We also offer pasture-raised farm eggs for sale in the Tasting Room or even better by pre-order via email.

Wine tastes better with good company. Take advantage of your wine club member benefits and bring in family and friends to enjoy a complimentary club tasting with you, or even share a bottle at the winery with an extra club discount. We thank you for being a Compton ambassador and referring new members with a $10 credit to your account. We truly appreciate your support of our family-owned winery and the local Oregon wine industry.

Cheers, Matt & Tabitha Compton

Gewurztraminer, 2023
Old Vine Gewurztraminer from Mary’s Peak Vineyard made in an off-dry style. Gewurztraminer translates in English to “spice grape”, and you’ll find those lush aromatics here. Mary’s Peak Vineyard was planted in 1977 on Southeast facing slopes in the rain shadow of Mary’s Peak.

Rose of Pinot Noir, 2022
We intentionally harvest Pinot Noir earlier to make our Rosé. For the 2022 vintage we left ¼ of the fruit on skins overnight and fermented in stainless steel. This vintage offers hints of fresh strawberries, raspberry, lily, balanced acidity with a smooth finish.

Concrete Egg Chardonnay, 2019
Classic Oregon Chardonnay with a perfumed nose of citron, white flowers, and vanilla. Old Vine Chardonnay from the Compton Estate and Hoot & Howl Vineyard is whole cluster pressed and placed in our concrete egg tank to ferment and age for 8 months before bottling. Concrete allows for a slow, cool fermentation with the wine circulating on the lees for a round, creamy mouthfeel without any use of oak.

BoVine Vineyard Pinot Noir, 2021 (Vertical Pinot Noirs!!)
BoVine Vineyard Pinot Noir, 2022
Matt Compton planted BoVine Vineyard with Pommard and Wadenswil clones of Pinot Noir in Alpine, Oregon back in 2008. The land was formerly cow pasture and we appreciate their bovine contributions to the soil. BoVine Pinot Noir is aged for 10 months in French Oak before blending and bottling.

Llewellyn Cuvee Pinot Noir, 2018
Pinot Noir from the Compton Family Farm, Hoot & Howl Vineyard, and Mary’s Peak Vineyard was fermented in our open-top oak fermenter, barrel aged for 12 months, then aged in the concrete egg for 5 months before bottling. 2017 and 2018 were very different growing seasons and this makes a fun vertical-tasting experience.