The Red Hills Lake County AVA is one of seven AVAs in Lake County, just north of Napa County. Red Hills is entirely enclosed within the Clear Lake AVA; Red Hills is south of the city of Kelseyville and borders Clear Lake, at the northern end of the Mayacamas Mountains. The Red Hills zone is situated atop a local magna strain, as these are numerous ancient volcanoes in the area. Soils naturally are volcanic, with deposits if gravel and quartz; many are deep red in appearance. Vineyards range from 1350 feet to 2600 feet above sea level; 3200 acres of vines are planted. Daytime temperatures at these heights are moderated by Pacific Ocean breezes; this situation is beneficial for preserving acidity in the grapes. Red varieties are dominant, with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Zinfandel and Syrah being the most successful, while Sauvignon Blanc also performs well in these soils. Many of the Cabernets here have relatively soft tannins and are value priced below $20. (Wine/Appellations)