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  
Lapostolle Cuvée Alexandre Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Do Apalta Bottle Lapostolle Cuvée Alexandre Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Do Apalta
Colchagua Valley, Chile
947929
Review added: June 16, 2021
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$27.95 None
(0)V
Emiliana Vigno Vignadores De Carignan 2017, Do Maule Valley Bottle Emiliana Vigno Vignadores De Carignan 2017, Do Maule Valley
Maule Valley, Chile
19247
Review added: June 16, 2021
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$14.75 None
(0)V
Espiritu De Chile Intrepido Reserva Merlot 2019, Do Curicó Valley Bottle Espiritu De Chile Intrepido Reserva Merlot 2019, Do Curicó Valley
Curicó Valley, Chile
19241
Review added: June 16, 2021
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$12.25 None
(0)V
Falernia Carmenere Reserva 2017, Elqui Valley Bottle Falernia Carmenere Reserva 2017, Elqui Valley
Chile
269175
Review added: June 16, 2021
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$16.95 None
(0)V
Montes Alpha Chardonnay 2018, Casablanca Valley Bottle Montes Alpha Chardonnay 2018, Casablanca Valley
Casablanca Valley, Chile
390203
Review added: June 16, 2021
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$19.95 None
(0)V
Casa Silva 1912 Vines Sauvignon Gris 2020, Do Colchagua Valley Bottle Casa Silva 1912 Vines Sauvignon Gris 2020, Do Colchagua Valley
Colchagua Valley, Chile
19580
Review added: June 16, 2021
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$19.95 None
(0)V
William Fèvre Little Quino Sauvignon Blanc 2019, Do Malleco Valley Bottle William Fèvre Little Quino Sauvignon Blanc 2019, Do Malleco Valley
Chile
17609
Review added: June 16, 2021
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$15.95 None
(0)V
Gemma Sparkling Rosé Traditional Method, Limarí Valley Bottle Gemma Sparkling Rosé Traditional Method, Limarí Valley
Limari Valley, Chile
18558
Review added: June 16, 2021
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$18.95 None
(0)V
William Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, North Coast Bottle William Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, North Coast
California, Usa
453647
Review added: June 16, 2021
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$23.95 None
(0)V
Querciabella Batàr 2017, Toscana Igt Bottle Querciabella Batàr 2017, Toscana Igt
Tuscany, Italy
Agent
Review added: June 15, 2021
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$149.95 Shopping_bag
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