FISH AND BUBBLES I

’VE mastered many recipes calling for more than “a little effort”, yet the compliment I recall with most pride is my (then) toddler’s announcement that I made the world’s best fish fingers.

To this day, there’s usually a box of fish fingers on stand-by in my freezer — but because we don’t do much frozen fish otherwise (though I’m certainly going to give today’s recipes a bash), it got me wondering about wine matches for all fairly bland white fish fillets/ cakes/sticks coated in crumbs and fried.

Any crisp, dry, acidic white will do — in fact, it will do the same job as a squeeze of lemon juice, cutting through the stodge and fat. But the crispiest, driest and most fat-busting option of all is méthode cap classique (MCC), with the added bonus that it will elevate an otherwise humdrum meal into an occasion.

This year Pongrácz celebrates its 25th birthday, having been launched in 1990 as a tribute to trailblazing viticulturist Desiderius Pongrácz. Born into nobility in Hungary, “Pongie” was captured by the Russians during World War 2 and spent a decade in the notorious labour camps of Siberia. He eventually arrived in South Africa as a refugee following the Hungarian uprising against the Soviet Union.

First working as a farm manager, and later acquiring an MSc in Agriculture at the University of Stellenbosch, he openly challenged the restrictive wine-growing policies of the time, and his contribution to the industry was immense; something for South Africans to consider as the world’s current refugee crises unfold.

Made from 60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay — two grape varieties that Pongie helped establish in the Cape — Pongrácz Brut provides a foamy mouthful of crisp green apple freshness as well as “bready” notes of brioche toast and nuts (RRP R90). — Joanne Gibson