This featured fine wine is the Château Haut Bages Averous - today the vineyards total 90 hectares situated on the Bages plateau near the village of Bages itself, just
southwest of Pauillac; they have a typical constitution of gravel over a layer of marl, chalk and sand, and are planted with predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon (73%), with 15% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. The average age of the vines is about 35 years and they are planted at a density of 9000 vines/ha. The fruit is harvested manually, then destemmed and crushed before fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel. The wine macerates in vat for a total of three weeks with malolactic in tank, before the wine is run off into oak for up to 15 months, with 60% new wood for every vintage.
The grand vin here is Chateau Lynch-Bages, of which there are typically 25000 cases per annum. The nearby Chateau Haut Bages Averous has, since 1978, been used as the second label for Lynch-Bages (10000 cases per annum). There is also a 4.5 ha plot of white vines, comprising 40% Semillon, 40% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Muscadelle which is used for the AC Bordeaux Blanc Blanc de Lynch-Bages (3000 cases per annum).
