If you think wine has to come from Bordeaux or Burgundy, or be served in fancy stemware, then you haven’t met Sunny Hodge. We sat down with the man behind Diogenes the Dog, an unpretentious yet wildly innovative wine bar in Elephant and Castle, to talk about his philosophy on wine, regions you didn’t know made the good stuff, and why sometimes, a saucepan makes a perfectly decent decanter.
A Wine List with No Rules
"All known wines are gone," Sunny explains with a grin, gesturing to the wall lined with bottles from places like Texas, Taiwan, Poland, and India. "We want guests to really understand wine without the baggage of big names or traditional regions." At Diogenes the Dog, it’s less about prestige and more about curiosity. Who knew Poland could produce a killer white, or that Texan wine could hold its own against a Napa heavyweight?
### Decanting in a Saucepan: The Wine Epiphany
Sunny's love for wine is rooted in genuine experiences rather than rigid rituals. He recalls one New Year's Eve when a bottle of the legendary Nicolas Catena Zapata was decanted into a saucepan and sipped from teacups. "Quality is about your perception," he says. "It’s about a winemaker’s intention and how they achieve it without industrial shortcuts."
### Breaking Down Barriers, One Glass at a Time
This philosophy aligns closely with what we're building at Tiny Wine. Sunny was kind enough to give us a shoutout: "What you're doing is huge," he said. "You don't have to spend a fortune on prestige. Tiny Wine proves that great value and genuine craftsmanship can come in small packages." And if Sunny says so, who are we to argue?
So, next time you're in Elephant and Castle, pop into Diogenes the Dog. You might just find your new favourite wine from a vineyard you didn’t even know existed — and if you have to decant it in a saucepan? Even better.
Cheers to breaking the rules.
*Visit [Diogenes the Dog](https://www.diogenesthedog.co.uk/) for more info, or explore our selection of unconventional wines at [Tiny Wine](https://www.tinywine.co.uk).*