Michael Godel

Michael Godel
Followers (297)
Reviews (32041)
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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 (31522 in total)

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  Wine Rating Price Quantity  
Fielding Estate Bottled Riesling 2014, VQA Beamsville Bench Bottle
Nwac_bronze2016_thumbnail
Fielding Estate Bottled Riesling 2014, VQA Beamsville Bench
Ontario, Canada
251439
Review added: March 09, 2015
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$16.25 None
(0)V
Creekside Broken Press Syrah Queenston Road Vineyard 2011, VQA St. David's Bench, Niagara Peninsula Bottle
Nwac2014gold_thumbnail
Creekside Broken Press Syrah Queenston Road Vineyard 2011, VQA St. David's Bench, Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada
202127
Review added: March 09, 2015
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$29.75 None
(0)V
Creekside Laura's Red 2011, VQA Niagara Peninsula Bottle Creekside Laura's Red 2011, VQA Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada
117960
Review added: March 09, 2015
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$19.95 None
(0)V
Creekside Laura's White 2012, VQA Niagara Peninsula Bottle Creekside Laura's White 2012, VQA Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada
121764
Review added: March 09, 2015
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$15.75 None
(0)V
Creekside Estate The Trad Reserve 2011, VQA St. David's Bench Bottle
Nwac_bronze2015_thumbnail
Creekside Estate The Trad Reserve 2011, VQA St. David's Bench
Ontario, Canada
390336
Review added: March 09, 2015
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$18.25 None
(0)V
Creekside Reserve Viognier Queenston Road Vineyard 2012, VQA Niagara Peninsula Bottle
Nwac2014bronze_thumbnail
Creekside Reserve Viognier Queenston Road Vineyard 2012, VQA Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada
Winery
Review added: March 09, 2015
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$29.95 Shopping_bag
Creekside Pinot Noir, Queenston Rd. Vineyard 2013, VQA St David's Bench Bottle Creekside Pinot Noir, Queenston Rd. Vineyard 2013, VQA St David's Bench
Ontario, Canada
Winery
Review added: March 09, 2015
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$22.95 Shopping_bag
Chateau Montelena Estate Zinafandel 2012, Calistoga, Napa Valley, The Montelena Estate Bottle Chateau Montelena Estate Zinafandel 2012, Calistoga, Napa Valley, The Montelena Estate
California, Usa
69633
Review added: March 06, 2015
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$49.95 None
(0)V
Panzano Chianti Classico 2008, Docg Bottle Panzano Chianti Classico 2008, Docg
Tuscany, Italy
972695
Review added: March 06, 2015
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$23.95 None
(0)V
Château De Cruzeau Blanc 2009, Ac Pessac Léognan Bottle Château De Cruzeau Blanc 2009, Ac Pessac Léognan
Bordeaux, France
966010
Review added: March 06, 2015
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$25.25 None
(0)V
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