• The Cynic’s Guide to Wine
  • The Cynic’s Guide to Wine
  • The Cynic’s Guide to Wine
  • The Cynic’s Guide to Wine
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Info
  • Format:Hardback
  • ISBN:9781917084635
  • Publication Date:31-03-2025
  • Pages:240

The Cynic’s Guide to Wine

Sunny Hodge

The Cynic’s Guide to Wine

£25.00
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 ‘a very useful and enjoyable read, amply illustrated and with no attempt to cut corners'
Michael Fridjhon, Business Day

‘a bold and unapologetic guide to a subject that’s far too often shrouded in mystery’
The Gentleman Magazine

‘one of the best wine books I have read in a long while.’
Christine Austin, Yorkshire Post

‘Sunny Hodge takes a deep dive into wine science, looking behind the surface of what makes this most fascinating of alcoholic beverages. There’s a lot packed into this book, and it’s full of interest for the wine-curious. Up to date and topical, this is a welcome addition to the current wine literature, written in a way that gives it broad appeal.’
Jamie Goode, author of Wine Science and Flawless

‘Hodge’s enthusiasm for these very technical subjects comes across loud and clear. The writing feels confident and well researched.’
Simon J Woolf

‘a superb educational resource that has already begun to change how I approach wine reviews.’
Simone Judge, Wine Drinker

‘The book blends hard-core science with a deep knowledge of wine and wine service. . . Sunny Hodge is my kind of wine writer’
Neal D Hulkower, The World of Fine Wine

‘A straightforward and eye-opening book for anybody who wants to question the stories told around wine but was afraid to ask. . . Thoroughly recommend’
Matthew Nugent, The Irish Sun

‘I enjoyed the genuine personal engagement in the writing.’
Neil Sowerby

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About The Cynic's Guide to Wine

No snobbery, just wine science. 

If you’ve ever felt lost in a swirl of wine jargon, The Cynic’s Guide to Wine is the breath of fresh air you’ve been waiting for. This isn’t just another wine book—it’s a sharp, witty, science-driven exploration of what’s really happening in your glass.

Sunny Hodge peels back the pretentious layers of the wine world and gives readers real, bite-sized insights grounded in wine science, horticulture, botany and sensory perception.

A straight-talking wine book for wine geeks and professionals

What makes this wine book different:

  • No pretentious talk – Say goodbye to intimidating terminology. This wine book explains the concepts clearly, without assuming prior knowledge.
  • Backed by real wine science – Explore the facts behind flavour—from soil composition to fermentation – based on real scientific principles.
  • Designed for modern readers – Information is broken down into engaging, digestible sections. Ideal for curious readers who want to understand wine, not just drink it
  • Refreshingly honest – Challenges the myths and marketing behind the wine industry.

If you’ve ever questioned what you’re told about terroir, vintage, or tasting notes—this book is for you.

The perfect gift for wine lovers

Looking for unique wine gifts? The Cynic’s Guide to Wine makes a thoughtful gift for:

  • Wine beginners and students
  • Food and drink enthusiasts
  • Science lovers and skeptics
  • Wine professionals

Sunny Hodge is the founder of two renowned London wine bars and a recognised disruptor in the wine trade. With a background in hospitality and a passion for truth-telling, Hodge has built a reputation for making wine approachable, exciting, and rooted in reality.

Sunny Hodge completed a degree in Mechanical Engineering before embarking on a career in hospitality. He worked his way up from fast food restaurants to become a founding team member at Paulo de Tarso and Nicholas Jaouën’s London restaurant, Margot.

His scientific training has always led him to look for the how and why behind food and wine, and he currently runs science-based wine tastings and is developing programmes to provide wine education based on science and functionality.

Hodge is the founder and owner of two wine bars in south London, Diogenes the Dog and aspen & meursault, for which he was awarded Entrepreneur of the Year at the Southwark Business Awards. Both wine bars showcase unusual and lesser-known wines and share a mission to educate customers about wine. Sunny is an annual wine judge for the IWSC awards and has commentated on wine for the Evening Standard, The Times and The Guardian.

  • Weight 0.85 kg
  • Dimensions 189 x 230 mm
  • Format Hardback

‘The books that taught me about wine were about places and people. It’s the history and stories about a wine that bring it to life and make it worth talking about.’

– Steven Spurrier