Haunting Whisper Vineyard & Spirits — Attraction in Danbury

My wife and I were on vacation staying at Half Moon Lake in Alton, NH. We like trying new wineries and read about this one which was a 1.5 hour drive. We went on Thursday and we were lucky enough to be the only ones there. The owner was mowing the grass and drove up to us on his riding lawn mower. We went inside a gorgeous pine board finished interior with 2 large viewing windows of various brewing devices. My wife wanted to sample the reds and I wanted the Spirits. You get to sample 6 selections for a fee, which is waived off if you purchase 2 bottles or more. The owner who is the wine maker / distiller was super knowledgeable as he and his wife are the only 2 people running this operation. And can easily answer any and all questions you may have. I will not go into more detail of our visit, but it was the most efficient tasting we have ever been too. As after each wine or spirit tasting, he rinses each glass with running water, to remove any taste of the previous wine or spirit --- very professional -- and definitely adds another level of getting the true taste of your next sampling. We have been to about 20 wineries and 3 distilleries and none ever water rinse the glass. But before you get any samples he has the cards made up of the wines or Spirits you want to try from a very neatly printed listing with descriptions. You write down the 6 you want to try and he has you sample them in the order he knows is best for tasting. Plus he gives you the cards after...with the ones you choose to purchase. Very beautiful location with great views and plenty of parking at the top of a hill..try it, you will not be disappointed in...

Our party of four made the trip from Western Vermont to visit this vineyard, and take in all it had to offer. Upon our arrival, the grounds were we'll kept, and the views from the parking area were worthy of a few pictures. Unfortunately, from that point on, my experience soured. We entered a well-designed building, with peek-a-boo windows showing off the polished wine making process. A nice touch. One attendant at the tasting bar had yet to greet us. He was hosting a small group of four or five well dressed folks, giving them an education and tending to their every need. We finally received a quick hello when we walked up to the tasting area in our Jeans and Sweat shirts.. A few pleasantries were passed at us in between taking care of his "other" clientele. So, here is the kicker for me. We are believers in supporting the local wineries and vineyards. Our experience from the customer standpoint was just not good. We felt somewhat profiled and made to feel less than. Did we enjoy the wine? Yes and no. That's why we taste. That's why we ended up buying several bottles from this vineyard before we left. The "others" left after their tasting without as much as a magnet for their fridge. I don't care how good your product is, if you can't relate to people from all walks of life and diversity, it won't sell. When that door opens, say hello, and treat me like I'm your last customer. I...

We were so excited to visit this beautiful winery, but we were turned away and felt very unwelcomed by the manager. We visited during norm hours on a Saturday afternoon their website says reservations are not required when you want to purchase glasses of wine. You need to apparently make a reservation for even entering the building. They need to update their website and put a sign on their door. Disappointed 😔 Edit: replying to the response of the manager. This reply he provided shows exactly the demeanor experienced when we arrived, there were 8 of us, interested in looking around, not crowding the bar like a pack of hyenas. The conversation you had with us was uncomfortable and uninviting. We felt immediately unwelcomed. A simple "hey guys- welcome! Do you happen to have a reservation? No? No problem, let me check my reservation log and you guys take a look around while I fish checking out this customer". We got nothing of the sort and you basically got mad we were there so we left because we were so taken aback. I have never experienced anything like this with a manager of all people....