Michael Godel

Michael Godel
Followers (293)
Reviews (29691)
  • (789)
  • (377)
 

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)

Show 10, 25, 50, 100 wines per page
  Wine Rating Price Quantity  
Laurent Gauthier Grand Cras Vieilles Vignes Morgon 2013, Ac Bottle Laurent Gauthier Grand Cras Vieilles Vignes Morgon 2013, Ac
Beaujolais, France
279059
Review added: January 17, 2016
Sign In to see Critic Reviews. Not a Member? Please Sign Up.
$21.95 None
(0)V
Château Des Demoiselles 2010, Ac Castillon   Côtes De Bordeaux Bottle Château Des Demoiselles 2010, Ac Castillon Côtes De Bordeaux
Bordeaux, France
348755
Review added: January 17, 2016
Sign In to see Critic Reviews. Not a Member? Please Sign Up.
$18.95 None
(0)V
Château Larose Trintaudon 2010, Ac Haut Médoc Bottle Château Larose Trintaudon 2010, Ac Haut Médoc
Bordeaux, France
297945
Review added: January 17, 2016
Sign In to see Critic Reviews. Not a Member? Please Sign Up.
$24.95 None
(0)V
Château La Garricq 2010, Cru Bourgeois, Ac Moulis En Médoc Bottle Château La Garricq 2010, Cru Bourgeois, Ac Moulis En Médoc
Bordeaux, France
435164
Review added: January 17, 2016
Sign In to see Critic Reviews. Not a Member? Please Sign Up.
$37.95 None
(0)V
Robertson Winery Prospect Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2013, Wo Robertson Bottle Robertson Winery Prospect Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2013, Wo Robertson
Robertson, South Africa
687814
Review added: January 17, 2016
Sign In to see Critic Reviews. Not a Member? Please Sign Up.
$14.75 None
(0)V
Bellingham Ancient Earth Pinotage 2014, Wo Coastal Region Bottle Bellingham Ancient Earth Pinotage 2014, Wo Coastal Region
Western Cape, South Africa
438317
Review added: January 17, 2016
Sign In to see Critic Reviews. Not a Member? Please Sign Up.
$14.95 None
(0)V
Huntaway Reserve Pinot Noir 2013, Central Otago, South Island Bottle Huntaway Reserve Pinot Noir 2013, Central Otago, South Island
Central Otago, New Zealand
438424
Review added: January 17, 2016
Sign In to see Critic Reviews. Not a Member? Please Sign Up.
$21.75 None
(0)V
Wakefield Cabernet Sauvignon 2013, Clare Valley, South Australia Bottle Wakefield Cabernet Sauvignon 2013, Clare Valley, South Australia
South Australia, Australia
744235
Review added: January 17, 2016
Sign In to see Critic Reviews. Not a Member? Please Sign Up.
$18.95 None
(0)V
Peter Franus Cabernet Sauvignon 2012, Napa Valley Bottle Peter Franus Cabernet Sauvignon 2012, Napa Valley
California, Usa
907477
Review added: January 17, 2016
Sign In to see Critic Reviews. Not a Member? Please Sign Up.
$54.25 None
(0)V
See Ya Later Ranch Pinot Noir 2013, BC VQA Okanagan Valley Bottle See Ya Later Ranch Pinot Noir 2013, BC VQA Okanagan Valley
British Columbia, Canada
230078
Review added: January 17, 2016
Sign In to see Critic Reviews. Not a Member? Please Sign Up.
$19.95 None
(0)V
Show 10, 25, 50, 100 wines per page