SPRING HILL, Fla. — Terry McKnight has been tending to his grape crop for more than 20 years.

“Vines are like teenage kids. You are always having to correct them and adjust them,” McKnight said, using twine to realign a wayward vine.

McKnight, a retired chiropractor, owns Strong Tower Winery in Spring Hill.

The name references Proverbs 18:10: “The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous run to it and are safe.”

Other Bible verses on the walls of the winery reference, well, wine, of course.

Strong Towrer has 12 acres of crops.

“So we have two red grapes and one white grape,” said McKnight.

The fruit arrives on the vine in April, and by August, the little baby grapes become big, sweet and ready to crush.

McKnight said a vat with crushed grapes has been becoming itself for almost four years, and is an almost ready white wine. 

“And once we get the chemistry correct,” McKnight explained. “We will bottle and celebrate.”

And celebrating includes tasting the “fruit of the vine,” like Spring Hill Red, one of several varieties they offer.

His favorite part of the winery?

“Drinking,” he said.