Mouzon-Leroux is a ninth-generation grower estate in the grand cru village of Verzy, where Sébastien Mouzon has transformed his family’s land into one of Champagne’s most vibrant biodynamic vineyards. Certified Demeter and rooted in a legacy that stretches back to 1776, the domaine farms chardonnay, pinot noir, and the region’s rarer varieties across parcels threaded with silex and chalk. Sébastien has become a pioneer of vitiforestry, planting thousands of trees and hundreds of aromatic plants among the vines to create a living, diverse ecosystem. In the cellar he works with gentle intent, using natural fermentations, minimal sulfur, and long aging to preserve the energy and mineral clarity of each site. The resulting Champagnes are soulful and expressive, wines that open gradually in the glass and offer a true sense of place.

L’Opiniâtre is the most resolute expression of chardonnay from Verzy, produced only in vintages that offer the intensity and purity needed to vinify without sulfur. In 2017, Sébastien assembled a selection of his finest no-sulfur lots from across the village’s chalk and silex soils, fermenting them with native yeasts before aging on gross lees and resting the wine six months after disgorgement. Bottled as brut nature with 0 g/L dosage, the cuvée carries the personality of its name. It is firm, focused, and shaped by a precision that comes from both the vintage and the decision to present the wine without adornment.

In the glass, the 2017 reveals white fruits, salted butter, hazelnut, and a fine thread of flint that anchors the palate. The bubbles are delicate yet persistent, giving the wine lift to counter its natural breadth. The finish carries a touch of salinity and a refined bitterness that feels both noble and intentional. This is a Champagne of chardonnay distilled to its essence, grounded by presence and nerve and defined by its clarity and energy.