Everyone has an opinion about pairing wine with briny bivalves. This week, we asked our wine panel (those same wine geeks who help us choose our wine-of-the-month selections) for their pick on what to drink.

Raw oysters all share a bright, salty character and rich, often creamy texture. The aftertaste can include greater or lesser amounts of mineral, melon and smokiness.

Although their specific recommendations vary, our professionals were unanimous in saying a dry, high-acid wine is needed to refresh the palate after a rich oyster. On a recent visit to Napa, people were raving about pairing sparkling wines with oysters.

Personally I like the classic partnering of oysters with Chablis. My favorite, although a little pricey, is the Verget Chablis Grand Cru “Bougros” from Dreadnought’s very own list.