Tasting California's geekiest vineyard

Psychologists analysing paratroopers divide them into three different categories: ‘courageous’, ‘fearless’ and ‘over-confident’. It’s not clear which of these would have applied to ex-paratrooper Bob Koth, but almost certainly one of those qualities was required to plant what is the most eclectic collection of wine grapes in a single vineyard anywhere in the state of California.

Bob Koth grew up in Lodi, and joined the army right after high school. Later he would attend the College of the Pacific, where he met his...