In a region as rooted in historical tradition as Burgundy, Alex Gambal is something of an anathema – an outsider who instead of inheriting his business and vineyards from older generations, started from scratch. Originally from Washington DC, Gambal left behind a lucrative career in real estate to pursue his dream of producing superlative Burgundy, a dream that has now been realized. For although Gambal is a newcomer in a region dominated by household names and businesses that span the generations, his wines are nonetheless some of the most exciting, original and stylish to emerge from the region in recent times.

Gambal arrived in Burgundy in 1993, driven simply by his lifelong passion for the area’s wines, traditions, culture, and gastronomy. At first, Gambal did not intend to stay more than a few months, but an encounter with fellow American wine broker Becky Wasserman changed all that. She encouraged him and his family to stay and find work in the region. Then, after a year studying winemaking and viticulture in the wine school in Beaune, Gambal decided to take the plunge and establish his own négociant-éleveur business in 1997.

Initially, Gambal used his négociant business to buy in wines from other producers, but today over 90% of the production is made in house. Working with winemaker Fabrice Laronze for 10 years, Maison Gambal soon developed a reputation as one of the region’s most dynamic and worthwhile newcomers. Laronze has since left to pursue his goal of running his own estate, but the quality has certainly not suffered despite his absence.

Today, this dynamic Beaune-based Negociant continues to produce an impressive range of modern, fruit-rich wines with a healthy but never excessive dose of new oak. At the heart of Gambal’s approach is a dedication to expressing each individual terroir fully, for as he is fond of saying: ‘There are no great wines without great grapes.’ This comes shining through in his wines, particularly the Grand Crus which have energy and zip about them, an inimitable style and precision, yet they are still indicative of their unique terroir. An example for other newcomers to follow, Alex Gambal is a truly extraordinary visionary and winemaker indeed!