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  
Gnarly Head Viognier 2013, California Bottle Gnarly Head Viognier 2013, California
California, Usa
396416
Review added: March 04, 2015
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$13.25 None
(0)V
Antinori Solaia 2003, Igt Toscana Bottle Antinori Solaia 2003, Igt Toscana
Tuscany, Italy
987586
Review added: February 26, 2015
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$457.95 None
(0)V
Corton Charlemagne   Louis Latour 2009 Bottle Corton Charlemagne Louis Latour 2009
Burgundy, France
Agent
Review added: February 26, 2015
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$150.00 Shopping_bag
Henry Of Pelham Reserve Chardonnay 2007, VQA Niagara Peninsula Bottle Henry Of Pelham Reserve Chardonnay 2007, VQA Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada
252833
Review added: February 25, 2015
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$11.70 None
(0)G
Nikolaihof Im Weingebirge Grüner Veltliner Smaragd 2007 Bottle Nikolaihof Im Weingebirge Grüner Veltliner Smaragd 2007
Wachau, Austria
Agent
Review added: February 25, 2015
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$59.95 Shopping_bag
Peninsula Ridge Estates Winery Semi Dry Riesling 2013, VQA Niagara Peninsula Bottle Peninsula Ridge Estates Winery Semi Dry Riesling 2013, VQA Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada
387043
Review added: February 24, 2015
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$13.95 None
(0)G
Tawse Estate Chardonnay 2010, VQA Twenty Mile Bench Bottle
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Tawse Estate Chardonnay 2010, VQA Twenty Mile Bench
Ontario, Canada
Winery
Review added: February 24, 2015
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$34.95 Shopping_bag
Costa Mediana Valpolicella Ripasso 2011 Bottle Costa Mediana Valpolicella Ripasso 2011
Veneto, Italy
377648
Review added: February 24, 2015
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$16.95 None
(0)G
CedarCreek Merlot 2012, BC VQA Okanagan Valley Bottle
Nwac_bronze2015_thumbnail
CedarCreek Merlot 2012, BC VQA Okanagan Valley
British Columbia, Canada
5182
Review added: February 23, 2015
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$17.39 Shopping_bag
Nai E Senora Albarino 2013, Rias Baixas Bottle Nai E Senora Albarino 2013, Rias Baixas
Galicia, Spain
Agent
Review added: February 23, 2015
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$16.95 Shopping_bag
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