The wine trading and production company "Siège Georges Vigouroux S.A.S", with its head office in Cahors (the capital of the Lot department) in the French region of
south-west France, was founded in 1887 by Germain Vigouroux as
Négociant éleveur. Since 1963, it has been managed by Georges Vigouroux, the third generation of the family. His son Bertrand-Gabriel, who joined the company in 1989 after studying oenology, and Jean-Baptiste Monpezat complete the management team. The company consists of a hotel, a wine tourism company offering seminars, an online wine shop and four wineries. Wines from the southwest French regions of
Cahors,
Côtes de Gascogne,
Gaillac and
Madiran are produced or distributed under the brand names Atrium and Pigmentum and the Châteaux names listed below. The products are exported to 25 countries worldwide.
A viticulture in the area of the parent house
Château de Haute-Serre was already known in the Middle Ages. Around 1880 an excellent wine was still produced there, but viticulture was abandoned at the end of the 19th century due to the phylloxera disaster. It was revived by Georges Vigouroux at the beginning of the 1970s and the areas were planted with a high density of 6060 vines per hectare. The vineyards cover 60 hectares of vines on dry clayey limestone soil, planted with the red wine varieties Auxerrois = Malbec (85%), Merlot and Tannat, and a little Chardonnay. The yields are limited to a maximum of 45 hl/ha due to the high density of the vines and
thinning out. After fermentation in stainless steel, the wines are aged for 12 months in 225 and 400 litre French oak barriques (one third each new, 1 x used, 2 x used). The technique
Vinification intégrale is also used, in which the wine comes into intensive contact with the wood. The product range includes the red wines Château de Haute Serre, Château Lafleur de Haute Serre and Cuvée Géron-Dadine de Haute Serre, as well as the white wine Albesco (Chardonnay).
The
Château de Mercuès was purchased in 1983. The impressive, castle-like château is situated on a rocky outcrop on the banks of the Lot. For seven centuries it was the summer residence of the counts and bishops of Cahors. A restaurant is also run in the complex. Guided tours of the vineyards and cellar are offered. The vineyards cover 40 hectares. The product range includes the three red wines Château de Mercuès, Vassal de Mercuès and Cuvée Malbec.
In 1991 there was an association with
Château Leret-Monpezat. The vineyards were completely replanted between 1965 and 1975. They are planted with Malbec (80%), as well as Tannat and Merlot. The product range includes the red wines Château Leret-Monpezat and Château Leret Tradition, aged in barriques for up to 24 months.
The
Château Tournelles was taken over in 1993. The product range includes the wines Château Tournelles, Voluptabilis and Château Tournelles Rosé.