For Charlotte Castagne-Chaudron, Champagne represents much more than a celebrated French beverage. It is a family legacy, a connection to the land, and a tradition that has remained part of her family’s life for generations.
As the eighth-generation wine-grower behind Leo De Verzay Champagne, Castagne-Chaudron remains central to the identity of the brand, bringing the heritage of her family’s vineyard in Verzenay into a contemporary Champagne experience created for today’s consumers.
Located in the Montagne de Reims, Verzenay is recognized as a Grand Cru Champagne village, a distinction reflecting the reputation and character of its terroir. It is within this historic setting that the story of Leo De Verzay begins.
The identity of the brand is closely tied to Castagne-Chaudron’s experience as a wine-grower and to the knowledge passed through her family. While Champagne has traditionally been associated with heritage, craftsmanship, and celebration, Leo De Verzay presents those traditions through a modern perspective that places equal emphasis on quality, presentation, and the experience surrounding the bottle.
Each Leo De Verzay bottle features a certified Swarovski crystal, making the bottle itself an important 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 heart of Leo De Verzay remains the 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 an approach that combines the heritage of the vineyard with a 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 American consumers, particularly through lifestyle and entertainment communities that have become part of the brand’s U.S. presence. His involvement as a co-owner of the U.S. business has helped connect Leo De Verzay with a new audience while maintaining 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 offered a natural environment for the brand’s American development. South Florida, particularly Miami, has become associated with hospitality, entertainment, fashion, and contemporary luxury, creating an environment where Leo De Verzay’s visual identity and positioning could reach a new generation of Champagne consumers.
Appearances by Disick at selected venues helped introduce the Champagne directly to consumers, connecting its French origins with its developing American lifestyle presence.
Yet behind that 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 continues to evolve. Today’s consumers are interested not only 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 combining 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 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 at the center of that story.
As the eighth generation of her family connected to 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 contemporary interpretation of Champagne while keeping its roots firmly connected to the land.
At the center of it all is Charlotte Castagne-Chaudron, whose family’s Champagne heritage continues to provide the foundation for Leo De Verzay’s next chapter.
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