在寻找纳帕谷风味的门多西诺和莱克县赤霞珠时，聪明的消费者可以发现与之竞争力的高品质葡萄酒。来自加利福尼亚北部这两个县的高地山谷和山坡地区生产的赤霞珠，其结构和浓度与纳帕种植的赤霞珠相当，但价格通常仅为其中的一小部分。可靠的生产商，如门多西诺县的Barra和Paul Dolan，以及莱克县的Shannon Ridge和Steele，每年几乎都会生产出90分或更高等级优秀赤霞珠，这些产品远低于平均纳帕出租车价格。
这些地区的地理特征与中央山谷形成了显著不同，中央山谷的大部分葡萄酒被简单地标记为加利福尼亚州葡萄种植区(AVA)。在标签上看到门多西诺 AVA、门多西诺县 AVA 或莱克县 AVA 通常是对葡萄品种更加丰富、经典表达的一种保证。
来自莱克县的是一片海拔较高的地方，是加州产区之一，它包括18英里长的人造淡水湖——清湖以及海拔超过4300英尺的休眠火山科诺克蒂山(Mount Konocti)。红山AVAE以其优质赤霞珠闻名，该区域拥有许多醇厚且价格较高瓶装酒，如黑曜石岭、索尔胭脂、 斯波托和鹰和马。
红色的火山土壤中生长着葡萄藤，在微红色火山土壤中，养分含量很低，并且布满了黑色黑曜石和石英晶体碎片。这导致相对较低产量的小型果实，这在发酵过程中提供了更多果皮与果汁，从而产生了浓郁水果风味以及丰富细腻单宁，有助于更好的陈年效果。
2018年，门多西诺赤霞珠每吨平均价格为2,205美元，而莱克县则略低，为2,061美元，与全州平均水平1,019美元相比，都非常昂贵。而纳帕地区每吨平均售价达到7,925美元。
这些数据反映了一种模式，其中一吨原料大约等同于100倍用于制成每瓶商品零售价。在这个公式下，一吨价值2,500美元等同于25美分，每吨8,000美元则相当于80美分。此公式对于了解加州葡萄酒定价有重要意义，并且对于它们惊人的负担能力至关重要。
以下是一些值得推荐的心智选项：
Barra of Mendocino 2017 Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon (Mendocino); $20, 92 points. This is a wide-ranging and full-bodied wine made from organic grapes that presents flavors of black currant and blackberry with a rich mouthfeel and moderate tannins.
Greenwood Vineyards 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon (Greenwood); $32, 92 points. The fruit-forward flavors and smooth texture make this full-bodied wine almost irresistible. It fills the palate with mature blackberry blueberry and cocoa notes that feel crafted by new oak without becoming overly oaky.
McNab Ridge 2015 Family Reserve Lagrein Cabernet Sauvignon (Mendocino County); $30, 93 points. This is a quiet yet powerful wine that wraps up intense black cherry and elderberry flavors in solid yet smooth texture with fine-grained tannins.
Black Stallion Winery's Half Mile Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon; $65 for the highly-rated red blend at Red Mountain;95 points. This complexly nuanced yet elegant wine captivates with aromas of spice cinnamon plum fruit sweetness followed by rich saturated flavor plus lingering five-spice figgy aftertaste wrapped in warm soft tannins revealing hints of dark chocolate berry as it lingers on palate repeat sips reveals subtle nuances - all aged in Hungarian Kadar barrels for an impressive two years until maturity reaches its peak around age ten years henceforth aging cellar selection worthy indeed - JG Parducci Small Lot Cabernet Sauvignon (Mendocino County);$15,$91points.Fruitforwardblackfruitflavorsandroundtexturemakeupthisfullbodiedwinebringingconcentratedblackcherryandblackcurrantcolors to your taste buds while avoiding any overpowering oakiness keeping single-layered tannins balanced well enough making it worth every penny —JG Shooting Star Wine Cellars' Lake County Cabernet Sauvignon;16,$91points.Ask not about screwcap—this velvety-textured winespends generously offering deep ripe dense fruit including berries plums apricots without excessive oakiness nor overbearing bitterness then adds softening touch via gentle rounded tannin adding slight restraint both on finish & aftertaste making it Editor's Choice —JG
