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  
La Celia Elite Malbec 2015, Paraje Altamira, Uco Valley, Mendoza Bottle La Celia Elite Malbec 2015, Paraje Altamira, Uco Valley, Mendoza
Mendoza, Argentina
578187
Review added: November 07, 2018
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$18.75 None
(0)V
Ernie Els Big Easy Cabernet Sauvignon 2017, Wo Western Cape Bottle Ernie Els Big Easy Cabernet Sauvignon 2017, Wo Western Cape
Western Cape, South Africa
617209
Review added: November 07, 2018
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$16.95 None
(0)V
Michele Chiarlo Palás Barolo 2014, Docg Bottle Michele Chiarlo Palás Barolo 2014, Docg
Piedmont, Italy
474437
Review added: November 07, 2018
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$37.95 None
(0)V
Tedeschi Capitel Nicalò Valpolicella Superiore 2016, Doc Bottle Tedeschi Capitel Nicalò Valpolicella Superiore 2016, Doc
Veneto, Italy
984997
Review added: November 07, 2018
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$17.95 None
(0)V
Castaño Hécula Monastrell 2015, Do Yecla Bottle Castaño Hécula Monastrell 2015, Do Yecla
Spain
718999
Review added: November 07, 2018
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$14.95 None
(0)V
Abacela Albariño 2017, Umpqua Valley Bottle Abacela Albariño 2017, Umpqua Valley
Oregon, Usa
629477
Review added: November 07, 2018
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$22.25 None
(0)V
Kistler Pinot Noir 2015, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County Bottle Kistler Pinot Noir 2015, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
California, Usa
330274
Review added: November 07, 2018
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$97.95 None
(0)V
Tawse Gamay Noir Redfoot Vineyard 2016, Niagara Peninsula Bottle Tawse Gamay Noir Redfoot Vineyard 2016, Niagara Peninsula
Ontario, Canada
Winery
Review added: November 06, 2018
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$29.15 None
(0)
Bench 1775 Meritage White 2016, Okanagan Valley Bottle
Nwac19_bronze_thumbnail
Bench 1775 Meritage White 2016, Okanagan Valley
British Columbia, Canada
13643
Review added: November 06, 2018
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$29.90 None
(0)
Cavazza Bocara Classico 2017, Gambellara Bottle Cavazza Bocara Classico 2017, Gambellara
Veneto, Italy
Agent
Review added: November 06, 2018
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$24.95 None
(0)
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