Michael Godel

Michael Godel
Followers (293)
Reviews (29691)
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For the past 12 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 28,000 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 2023 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 seven 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 25 trips in seven years with half of them to Tuscany and Chianti Classico. In February 2018 the Consorzio Vino Chianti Classico made Godel one of their first five recipients of an Ad Honorem title, “Ambasciatore.” Now as Canadian ambassador he educates on behalf of the Tuscan territory’s Gallo Nero and their noble Sangiovese. Ten 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 Wines, Vins de Bourgogne 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

Latest Reviews (29225 in total)

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  Wine Rating Price Quantity  
Beaumont Wines New Baby 2019, Wo Bot Rivier Bottle Beaumont Wines New Baby 2019, Wo Bot Rivier
Walker Bay, South Africa
Tastings
Review added: February 01, 2023
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$1.00 Shopping_bag
Beaumont Family Wines Hope Marguerite 2021, Wo Bot River Bottle Beaumont Family Wines Hope Marguerite 2021, Wo Bot River
Walker Bay, South Africa
Agent
Review added: February 01, 2023
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$35.00 Shopping_bag
Luddite Shiraz 2019, Wo Bot Rivier Bottle Luddite Shiraz 2019, Wo Bot Rivier
South Africa

Review added: January 31, 2023
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$0.00 None
(0)
Kanonkop Paul Sauer 2019, Wo Bottle Kanonkop Paul Sauer 2019, Wo
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Tastings
Review added: January 31, 2023
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$1.00 Shopping_bag
Meerlust Rubicon 2017, Wo Stellenbosch Bottle Meerlust Rubicon 2017, Wo Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch, South Africa
64329
Review added: January 31, 2023
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$49.95 None
(0)V
Peller Estates Andrew Peller Signature Series Riesling Icewine 2019, VQA Niagara Peninsula (375ml) Bottle Peller Estates Andrew Peller Signature Series Riesling Icewine 2019, VQA Niagara Peninsula (375ml)
Ontario, Canada
winery
Review added: January 25, 2023
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$95.90 None
(0)
Icellars Reserve Red 2019, VQA Niagara On The Lake Bottle Icellars Reserve Red 2019, VQA Niagara On The Lake
Ontario, Canada
19742
Review added: January 23, 2023
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$34.95 available online
Luna Sauvignon Blanc 2020, Martinborough Bottle Luna Sauvignon Blanc 2020, Martinborough
Martinborough, New Zealand
17567
Review added: January 23, 2023
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$24.95 available online
Inniskillin Niagara Vidal Icewine 2019, VQA Niagara Peninsula (375ml) Bottle Inniskillin Niagara Vidal Icewine 2019, VQA Niagara Peninsula (375ml)
Ontario, Canada
388306
Review added: January 21, 2023
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$44.95 None
(0)W
Cave Spring Riesling Icewine 2019, VQA Niagara Peninsula (375ml) Bottle Cave Spring Riesling Icewine 2019, VQA Niagara Peninsula (375ml)
Ontario, Canada
447441
Review added: January 21, 2023
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$54.95 High
(314)E
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