For Charlotte Castagne-Chaudron, Champagne is more than a product. It is a family heritage, a connection to the land and a tradition that has been passed down through generations.
As the eighth-generation wine-grower behind Leo De Verzay Champagne, Castagne-Chaudron remains at the heart of the brand, bringing the character of her family’s vineyard in Verzenay into a modern Champagne experience designed for today’s consumer.
Located in the Montagne de Reims, Verzenay is recognized as a Grand Cru Champagne village, a distinction that reflects the exceptional reputation of its terroir. It is from this setting that the roots of Leo De Verzay begin.
The brand’s identity is closely connected to Castagne-Chaudron’s experience as a grower and to the traditions of her family. While Champagne has long been associated with heritage and craftsmanship, Leo De Verzay approaches that tradition through a contemporary lens, one that places equal importance on quality, presentation, and the experience surrounding the bottle.
Each Leo De Verzay bottle features a certified Swarovski crystal, turning the bottle itself into part of the experience. The attention to detail continues with the cuvées, which are aged for a minimum of three years in the bottle.
For Castagne-Chaudron, however, the essence of the brand remains rooted in Champagne itself.
Her family’s generations of experience in the region provide the foundation for a brand that seeks to introduce the character of French Champagne to consumers beyond its traditional markets. The result is a balance between the heritage of the vineyard and a more contemporary interpretation of luxury.
That vision has become increasingly relevant as Leo De Verzay has expanded its presence in the United States.
Scott Disick, an equity partner in the brand’s American venture, LDV USA, has played a visible role in introducing the Champagne to consumers in the United States, particularly through the lifestyle and entertainment communities that have become an important part of the brand’s American presence. His involvement as a co-owner of the U.S. business has helped connect Leo De Verzay with a new audience while allowing the brand to retain its French identity.
The expansion into the United States gained significant momentum in 2023, when Leo De Verzay announced its availability across Florida through restaurants, bars, clubs, and wine and spirits stores in partnership with Republic National Distributing Company.
Florida provided a natural environment for the brand’s American development. South Florida, particularly Miami, has become closely associated with hospitality, entertainment, fashion and contemporary luxury, an environment where the visual identity and positioning of Leo De Verzay could resonate with a new generation of Champagne consumers.
Appearances by Disick at selected venues helped introduce the product directly to consumers, bringing together the Champagne’s French origins and its emerging American lifestyle presence.
Yet behind the expansion is a story that begins far from the nightlife and hospitality scenes of the United States.
It begins in Verzenay.
For Castagne-Chaudron, the vineyard remains the foundation of everything Leo De Verzay represents. Her position as an eighth-generation wine-grower provides the brand with a direct connection to the Champagne region and to the generations of knowledge behind its production.
That connection is increasingly important as the Champagne category evolves. Today’s consumers are not only interested in what is inside the bottle, but also in the story, craftsmanship, and identity behind the brands they choose.
Leo De Verzay responds to that evolution by bringing together the authenticity of its French roots with a contemporary approach to luxury.
The Swarovski crystal on the bottle creates a distinctive visual signature. The Grand Cru heritage of Verzenay provides a connection to one of Champagne’s most respected terroirs. And the brand’s growing American presence introduces that heritage to consumers who may experience Champagne as part of a broader lifestyle rather than only through traditional occasions.
Castagne-Chaudron remains the central figure in that story.
As the eighth generation of her family to work with Champagne, she represents the continuity between the vineyard’s history and the brand’s future. Her role is not simply to preserve a tradition, but to carry it forward and introduce it to new audiences without losing the identity that began in Verzenay.
As Leo De Verzay continues developing its presence in the United States, that connection between France and America is becoming increasingly central to the brand.
From a Grand Cru vineyard in Verzenay to restaurants, clubs and hospitality destinations across the United States, Leo De Verzay is building a modern interpretation of Champagne, one that keeps its roots firmly planted in the land while opening the door to a new generation of consumers.
At the center of it all is Charlotte Castagne-Chaudron, whose family’s Champagne heritage provides the foundation for Leo De Verzay’s next chapter. Additional updates about the brand are available through the Champagne Mami and Leo De Verzay Instagram accounts.
