Climbing the Vines in Burgundy
How an American came to own one of the most legendary vineyards in France
One the Best Wine Books of 2023, according to the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and the Washington Post, Climbing the Vines in Burgundy is a sensory experience, a touching family memoir and an accessible, incredibly detailed look at the worlds of gastronomy and oenology from a business perspective. Told in a uniquely American voice, Gambal’s book is populated with fascinating characters, stunning locales, and delectable depictions of meals and glass after glass after glass of wine. Alex’s uniquely American tone makes for a compelling read as he tries to meld his artistic side with his family obligations and business acumen. Think Moneyball, Kitchen Confidential with a splash of Julia Child.
Press Coverage
How to Buy the Book?
Part adventure, part manifesto, Climbing the Vines shows how Alex became a vinous Indiana Jones - chasing a dream and creating a legacy that reawakens every time one of Alex's wines is uncorked.
– Doug Heye, CNN Political Analyst
A compelling read, where you will learn about the challenges, for him and his family, of working in France and discovering the complex ecosystem of Burgundy. This book explains the intricacies of building a wine business for both the novice and the knowledgeable.
– Jamie Ritchie, Worldwide Chairman, Wine & Spirits, Sotheby’s
A wonderfully engaging book from an insider’s perspective packed with details ranging from making wine in Burgundy and keenly-observed nuggets of life in France to his roots in Washington D.C. and his early years working with Becky Wassermann. Weaving together the deeply-understood strands of French culture, winemaking, and entrepreneurship with the absorbing story of his loves, his triumphs, and his losses, Alex has crafted a work that will have something to charm every reader.
– Charles Curtis MW, Burgundy correspondent / Decanter magazine; Founder, WineAlpha
Book Reviews
About Alex Gambal
Originally from the Washington, DC area, Alex Gambal moved to France in 1993. Over the next 26 years, Gambal straddled the Atlantic while creating a boutique winery that included some of Burgundy’s greatest vineyards. A hard-nosed-businessman in a community steeped in tradition, Gambal defeated the odds by buying some of the most coveted French vines and creating a successful brand that was eventually sold to one of the largest winemakers in the region.
In 2016, he brought his unique Burgundian winemaking style to a venture with Peter Work in Santa Barbara, California. Gambal Work is a limited edition of highly rated pinot noir and chardonnay that is available for purchase on their website.
Today, he spends his winters in Tetons where he is a ski host at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Wyoming and an avid hiker. He is also the benefactor and Chairman of the Diana “Dee” Williams Freestyle Fund, a charitable foundation to benefit the development and advancement of promising mogul skiers to the Olympic and World Cup level.
How to Buy the Wine?
At one of the most beautiful terroirs, the Burgundy négociants are at a crossroads with the arrival of new capital, the success of new ventures like Alex Gambal’s.
-The Review Du Vin De France, Oct. 2003
Unlike other producers we were particularly seduced by the quality of his generic Burgundy appellations. The whites are particularly savory and refined. The Grand Crus of the Cote de Nuits are unfortunately only made in tiny quantities. Happily the production in 2002 will be larger.
- A Bostonian in Love (with Burgundy)
Speaking Engagements
Wine Reviews
Some of the ambitious artisinal négociants (we call them the négocs of the Haut Couture) that have been created in the last few years are personified by Alex Gambal, Nicolas Potel and Dominique Laurent. They instead work closely with their suppliers in order to obtain the best quality fruit. They are used to working with small cuvées over many appellations and in 2003 are the victims of a reduced crop.
-Le négoce haute couture
About the Dee Williams Freestyle Fund
At the age of 17, Alex’s late wife, Diana “Dee” Williams, was named to the US Freestyle Ski Team, but on many occasions her limited financial resources prevented her from traveling with the team to national and international World Cup competitions.
Upon retirement as an athlete from the US Ski Team, Diana went from competitor to coach. And in 1988, at the young age of 25, she became director of the Killington Mountain School’s Freestyle program. In 1998 she became a US Olympic Team Coach and held the position until she retired from Olympic level coaching in 2002.
After her passing from cancer in 2020, Alex decided he did not want to see other young athletes experience the financial limitations that Diana experienced, no matter what their level of skill. It is with this in mind that he created the fund to continue Diana’s legacy of excellence and compassion.