Michael Godel

Michael Godel
Followers (297)
Reviews (32176)
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For the past 13 years Michael Godel has been tasting and assessing wine as a journalist, a critic and partner at WineAlign.com. He is often called “Godello,” a nickname that just happens to double as a terrific white Spanish grape. Godel has spent the better part of his writing career travelling planet wine in search of varietal truth and in that time has crafted more than 31,000 lengthy tasting notes, most of them positive, all of them thorough. He processes his thoughts, musings, stream of consciousness and experiences on wine, travel, music and pop culture at his eponymous website godello.ca.

Chef Michael hung up his well-used, 25 year-old whites when he closed up shop in December 2013 after a rewarding 25-year culinary run in Toronto restaurants and with the catering business he owned called All Our Favourite Foods. In March of 2011 he teamed up with Chef David Neinstein at Toronto's Barque Smokehouse and March 2024 will mark his 13th anniversary as Wine Director of the Toronto restaurant. He also makes a line of small lot wines out of Chianti Classico in Tuscany and the Niagara Peninsula, including Corretta Chianti Classico, All Day Rosé, Interloper Cabernet Franc, As Is Field Blend and Paramour Gamay.

Investigative wine travels in the last 10 years have included destinations like British Columbia, Nova Scotia, California, New York, Argentina, South Africa, Germany, France, Portugal and Spain, but Italy has commanded much of Godel’s attention. Fortune has smiled to the tune of 60 trips in ten years with more than half of them to Tuscany and in particular Chianti Classico. In February 2018 the Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico made Godel one of their first five recipients of an Ad Honorem title, “Ambasciatore.” As Canadian ambassador he educates on behalf of the Tuscan territory’s Gallo Nero and their noble Sangiovese. Twelve excursions in Montalcino have also led to educating on behalf of the Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino. From 2016-2019 these Sangiovese investigations took the form of in person seminars and masterclasses for sommeliers, trade and media, but also restaurant staff education. In 2020 and 2021 the pivot led to lecturing more than a dozen online webinar sessions. Godel has also served as an educator for the Italian Chamber of Commerce of Ontario (ICCO), Rioja DOCa, Vins de Bourgogne, Le Marche, Barbera d'Asti e vini del Monferrato, Asti Wines and Wines of Portugal, including for the wines of Vinho Verde.

Serving as a judge for the annual WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada since 2013 has been the greatest honour and Godello has always been proud to taste, assess and award medals alongside colleague David Lawrason at Canada’s Great Kitchen Party and with Tony Aspler’s Ontario Wine Awards. Michael lives in Toronto with his wife of 28 years and three children.

http://godello.ca mgodlelo

Latest Reviews (31648 in total)

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  Wine Rating Price Quantity  
Alain Jaume & Fils Clos De Sixte Lirac 2012, Ac Bottle Alain Jaume & Fils Clos De Sixte Lirac 2012, Ac
Rhône, France
76349
Review added: March 26, 2015
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$24.95 None
(0)V
Kenwood Cabernet Sauvignon 2012, Sonoma County Bottle Kenwood Cabernet Sauvignon 2012, Sonoma County
California, Usa
990440
Review added: March 26, 2015
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$23.95 None
(0)V
Château Queyron Lartigue 2012, Ac Saint émilion Bottle Château Queyron Lartigue 2012, Ac Saint émilion
Bordeaux, France
404996
Review added: March 26, 2015
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$19.95 None
(0)V
Brazin Dry Creek Valley (B)Old Vine Zinfandel 2012, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma Bottle Brazin Dry Creek Valley (B)Old Vine Zinfandel 2012, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma
California, Usa
202457
Review added: March 26, 2015
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$19.95 None
(0)V
Carmen Gran Reserva Carmenere El Penasco Vineyard 2012, Valle Del Rapel Bottle Carmen Gran Reserva Carmenere El Penasco Vineyard 2012, Valle Del Rapel
Chile
439166
Review added: March 26, 2015
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$17.95 None
(0)A
Punta De Flechas Malbec 2012, Mendoza Bottle Punta De Flechas Malbec 2012, Mendoza
Mendoza, Argentina
399402
Review added: March 26, 2015
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$15.95 None
(0)V
Small Talk Vineyards Recap Syrah 2012, VQA Niagara On The Lake Bottle
Nwac_bronze2016_thumbnail
Small Talk Vineyards Recap Syrah 2012, VQA Niagara On The Lake
Ontario, Canada
415612
Review added: March 26, 2015
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$20.25 None
(0)V
Tawse Sketches Of Niagara Rosé 2014, VQA Niagara Peninsula Bottle Tawse Sketches Of Niagara Rosé 2014, VQA Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada
172643
Review added: March 26, 2015
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$17.95 None
(0)V
Zuccardi Zeta 2011, Uco Valley, Mendoza Bottle Zuccardi Zeta 2011, Uco Valley, Mendoza
Mendoza, Argentina
163725
Review added: March 26, 2015
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$44.95 None
(0)V
De Bortoli Gulf Station Pinot Noir 2013, Yarra Valley, Victoria Bottle De Bortoli Gulf Station Pinot Noir 2013, Yarra Valley, Victoria
Victoria, Australia
15511
Review added: March 26, 2015
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$19.95 None
(0)V
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