Michael Godel

Michael Godel
Followers (297)
Reviews (32014)
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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 (31496 in total)

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  Wine Rating Price Quantity  
Bellingham Big Oak Red 2013, Western Cape Bottle Bellingham Big Oak Red 2013, Western Cape
Coastal Region, South Africa
350595
Review added: February 01, 2015
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$11.95 None
(0)G
Cape Heights Cabernet Sauvignon 2013, Western Cape Bottle Cape Heights Cabernet Sauvignon 2013, Western Cape
South Africa
358895
Review added: February 01, 2015
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$6.45 None
(0)A
Flagstone Poetry Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 Bottle Flagstone Poetry Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
Western Cape, South Africa
358754
Review added: January 31, 2015
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$10.95 None
(0)G
Boschendal 1685 Chardonnay 2013, Coastal Region Bottle Boschendal 1685 Chardonnay 2013, Coastal Region
Coastal Region, South Africa
367698
Review added: January 31, 2015
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$14.80 None
(0)G
Frisky Zebras Sensuous Sauvignon Blanc, Western Cape Bottle
Wwac_gold2015_transparent_thumbnail
Frisky Zebras Sensuous Sauvignon Blanc, Western Cape
South Africa
237685
Review added: January 31, 2015
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$6.95 None
(0)G
K W V Contemporary Collection Chenin Blanc 2014, Western Cape Bottle
Wwac_topvalue_thumbnail
K W V Contemporary Collection Chenin Blanc 2014, Western Cape
Western Cape, South Africa
18689
Review added: January 31, 2015
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$9.45 None
(0)G
Durbanville Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2014, Durbanville Bottle Durbanville Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2014, Durbanville
Western Cape, South Africa
22251
Review added: January 31, 2015
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$11.95 None
(0)G
Goats Do Roam White 2013, Coastal Region Bottle Goats Do Roam White 2013, Coastal Region
Western Cape, South Africa
237313
Review added: January 31, 2015
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$11.95 None
(0)G
Boschendal The Pavillion Chenin Blanc 2014, Western Cape Bottle
Wwac_bronze2015_transparent_thumbnail
Boschendal The Pavillion Chenin Blanc 2014, Western Cape
Western Cape, South Africa
281311
Review added: January 31, 2015
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$11.95 None
(0)G
Creekside Reserve Queenston Road Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, VQA St. David's Bench, Niagara Peninsula Bottle
Nwac2013bronze_thumbnail
Creekside Reserve Queenston Road Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, VQA St. David's Bench, Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada
662247
Review added: January 29, 2015
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$34.95 Shopping_bag
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