Terra Nebulo Vineyards

November 15, 2025.  We can easily forget how rough and ready our region has been in its history.  Out west in Loudoun County, for example, back in colonial times, the old Carolina Road was the main trade route that ran from Fredrick, Maryland through Leesburg and ended in the Yadkin Valley of North Carolina (today, a prime wine producing area for that state).  Unfortunately, cattle thieves and highwaymen so frequented the road that it was called “the Rogues Road.”# 

Cheryl and Mike Morrison started Rogues Hill Vineyard in 2012 and changed it the next year to the more obscure “Terra Nebulo,” which they translate as “Land of the Rascal” to commemorate this area outside of the town of Waterford for its history of banditry. 

The Morrison’s opened Terra Nebulo in 2015.  The winery is contained within a reproduction of an old hay barn, constructed with great care by Amish craftsmen.  The barn sits in a hollow framed by tall grass and a view of a large white dairy barn on a distant hill. 

The tasting room is on the ground floor of the barn.  A wall of windows struggled to overcome a dark feeling in the room from the rustic rafters and wood paneling.  There are some fire pits outside for cooler months but no fireplace indoors.  It is not particularly cozy or memorable. 

 

Kim and I spent some time swapping stories with Danny and Audrey who staffed the bar.  They were great company.  Danny was a font of information about Loudon County wineries and particularly his favorite Port-style wines.  Thanks to Audrey for taking me on a walk-about of the property.

                                                                                          Danny and Audrey

Audrey said that the Morrison’s son was involved in a serious motorcycle accident out-of-state, causing them to be absent much of the time to deal with the injuries.  This has also led to the spacious second floor of the barn being used for personal storage.  Eventually, the hope is to move those personal items out and start having weddings and other large events again.  Neither Danny nor Audrey had a timetable.

Terra Nebulo does not grow its own grapes or make its own wine.  We understand that the Morrison’s unsuccessfully tried growing grapes at the Waterford site years ago.  Instead, grapes for the Terra Nebulo label are grown by arrangement with Cave Ridge Vineyards in Mt. Jackson, Shenandoah Valley.  Owner and wine maker at Cave Ridge, Randy Phillips, makes the wine for Terra Nebulo. 

Terra Nebulo is a 21+ location - no kids.  No outside food allowed even though the snacks available from the winery - pizza, cheese balls, and similar snacks – are limited. 

Kim had a glass of wine, and I had a red tasting flight for $18.00.  I appreciate that Audrey added one wine to the list so that I could try a vertical tasting.  Here’s what we had:

2022 Chardonnay.  Kim rated the Chardonnay a C as weak. 

2016 Chambourcin.  On the red side, Terra Nebulo’s Chambourcin is a nice unobtrusive wine with cherry notes and spice.  I rate it a B.

2016 Cabernet Franc.  I didn’t find the Cab Franc very smooth.  Pepper and spicy with noticeable tannins.  I gave it a B, but a “low” B.

We tried two red blends having the same proportions but five vintages apart.  Both blends are 60% Cabernet Franc, 20 % Petit Verdot, and 20% Chambourcin.

2021 Red Blend.  The more recent red blend has some resin taste and more tannin. I gave it a B- but think that with time, the blend might become more civilized.

2016 Red Blend.  I preferred the 2016 Red Blend as it is milder and lighter than the 2021 with more integrated tannins.  I gave it B.

2022 Petit Verdot.  Bright red fruit with some metallic aftertaste.  The tasting notes mention the “super cute label,” which is not usually the mark of a quality wine.  Still, I gave it a B.

Terra Nebulo was very quiet, even on a Saturday afternoon.  We were the only customers for most of our visit.  But it is close enough to Waterford for a quick break from serious antiquing in town.

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 # From, Eugene Scheel, The Carolina Road, accessed on November 14, 2025 at https://www.loudounhistory.org/history/carolina-road/

In 1742, the Virginia General Assembly describes the travelers as “drivers vagrant people peddling and selling horses; and either buy or steal a great number of cattle which in their return they drive through the frontier counties; and often take away with them the cattle of the inhabitants under pretence that they cannot separate them from their own droves."

 

Indeed, as early as 1747, a Fauquier land grant refers to the Carolina Road as "Rogues Road," a name that appears in Fauquier and Loudoun deeds throughout the early 1900s. A few miles north of Leesburg, on old Montresor farm, a narrow wooded stream valley still bears the name Rogues' Hollow, for tradition states that this geographic depression was the lair for thieves about to plunder travelers.

My search in the Journal of the House of Burgesses for that period does not show these quotes.  See, Journal of the House of Burgesses, 1742-1747, 1748-1749, H.R. McIlwaine, ed. 1909, accessed at  https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/007705882 on November 19, 2025.