The Champagne Mouzon-Leroux L'Ascendant Solera NV (Base 2019, Disg. Jan 2024) is a profoundly complex and deeply terroir-driven grower Champagne from one of the Montagne de Reims’ most exciting biodynamic estates. Produced by Sébastien Mouzon in the Grand Cru village of Verzy, the wine is crafted from a perpetual solera begun in 2010, blending multiple vintages to create extraordinary depth, continuity and complexity. Composed primarily of Chardonnay with Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier from organically and biodynamically farmed chalk-rich parcels, L’Ascendant represents the domaine’s most layered and oxidative expression while still retaining remarkable freshness and mineral precision. The Base 2019 release was disgorged in January 2024 after extended lees ageing and bottled with extremely low dosage, preserving its striking purity and structural tension.
The nose reveals preserved lemon, baked apple and yellow orchard fruit layered alongside brioche, hazelnut, dried flowers, honeycomb and crushed chalk, giving the wine extraordinary aromatic depth and vinous complexity. On the palate, it is medium-bodied with fine, creamy mousse, vibrant acidity and a tightly focused mineral core. Layers of citrus oil, toasted nuts, red apple skin and savoury lees complexity are balanced by saline freshness and chalky tension, finishing long, powerful and beautifully persistent with exceptional precision and ageing potential. Fermentation and élevage in oak barrels contribute additional textural richness and subtle oxidative nuance while preserving the wine’s crystalline energy and terroir transparency.
Ben’s Recommendation:
The Mouzon-Leroux L'Ascendant Solera NV (Base 2019) is a world-class grower Champagne — vinous, layered and beautifully mineral with extraordinary depth and complexity. Perfect with lobster, turbot, aged Comté, roast poultry or refined seafood cuisine. Enjoy now with decanting or cellar gracefully through 2040+.
