Michael Godel

Michael Godel
Followers (297)
Reviews (31975)
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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 (31457 in total)

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  Wine Rating Price Quantity  
Burning Kiln Strip Room Merlot/Cabernet Franc 2012, VQA Lake Erie North Shore Bottle Burning Kiln Strip Room Merlot/Cabernet Franc 2012, VQA Lake Erie North Shore
Ontario, Canada
327700
Review added: June 29, 2014
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$24.95 None
(0)V
Burning Kiln Cab Frank 2012, Ontario VQA Bottle
Wwac_judgeschoice_thumbnail
Burning Kiln Cab Frank 2012, Ontario VQA
Ontario, Canada
310268
Review added: June 29, 2014
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$24.95 None
(0)V
Burning Kiln Stick Shaker Savagnin 2012, VQA Ontario Bottle Burning Kiln Stick Shaker Savagnin 2012, VQA Ontario
Ontario, Canada
367144
Review added: June 29, 2014
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$24.95 None
(0)V
Domaine Weinbach Gewürztraminer Cuvée Laurence 2011 Bottle Domaine Weinbach Gewürztraminer Cuvée Laurence 2011
Alsace, France
Agent
Review added: June 29, 2014
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$67.99 Shopping_bag
Albert Mann Riesling Schlossberg Grand Cru 2008 Bottle Albert Mann Riesling Schlossberg Grand Cru 2008
Alsace, France

Review added: June 26, 2014
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$48.25 None
(0)
Jean Bourdy Côtes De Jura White 2008, Ac Bottle Jean Bourdy Côtes De Jura White 2008, Ac
Jura, France
Agent
Review added: June 26, 2014
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$28.98 Shopping_bag
Domaine Karydas Naoussa 2009, Dop Naoussa Bottle Domaine Karydas Naoussa 2009, Dop Naoussa
Naoussa, Greece
272013
Review added: June 25, 2014
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$25.95 None
(0)V
St. Supéry Rutherford Merlot 2010, Napa Valley Bottle St. Supéry Rutherford Merlot 2010, Napa Valley
California, Usa
376939
Review added: June 25, 2014
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$58.95 None
(0)V
Domaines Schlumberger Les Princes Abbés Pinot Gris 2011, Ac Alsace Bottle Domaines Schlumberger Les Princes Abbés Pinot Gris 2011, Ac Alsace
Alsace, France
21253
Review added: June 25, 2014
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$21.95 None
(0)V
Muriel Reserva Vendimia Seleccionada 2008, Doca Rioja Bottle Muriel Reserva Vendimia Seleccionada 2008, Doca Rioja
Rioja, Spain
276030
Review added: June 25, 2014
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$18.95 None
(0)V
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