Malcolm Jolley talks to Michael Godel about his love for Chianti Classico…

Michael Godel at Barque Bar with Chianti Classico.

If you couldn’t get to Tuscany last week, then the next best thing was in the West End of Toronto at Barque Bar on Tuesday afternoon. There, Michael Godel held an informal, but extensive tasting of a few dozen wines baring the black rooster insignia of the Chianti Classico DOCG. Wine writer and educator, at WineAlign and godello.ca, Godel has focused much of his time in last few years on the Chianti Classico region, diving deep into its sub-appellations and getting to know its producers one by one. This work has culminated into his appointment as a Chianti Classico Ambassador Ad Honorem, and a series of seminars on the region and its wines and classes he’s held for Ontario wine professionals this year. The tasting at Barque Bar, as he explains in the video below, was a last chance opportunity to taste some wines left over from the series for those trade who missed the original edifying events; and he even let in a few journalists like me. The wines showed well, including the 2015 Corretta from Molina di Grace, which Godel and winemaking partner Scott Zebarth crafted together. Before the tasting I grabbed Michael Godel to ask him about how his love affair with Chianti Classico began and what advice he’s give to those who wish to know more about the first territory of wine.

 

Email versions of this post will not display video. To see the  video at GFR please click here.