Sauvignon Blanc

Oysters make you amorous, or so the story goes. So as Valentine's Day approached, I went on the prowl for wines that embrace the bivalve. Like the lovelorn, I sought advice from those who had played this mating game. Executive chef Benjamin Erjavec reported that when some 200 diners paired oysters with wines at a recent mating event held at Oceanaire restaurant on Aliceanna Street, the crowd favorite was a French sauvignon blanc, Lalande. Meanwhile, a Baltimore wine merchant suggested the classic match of Muscadet and oysters.

2007 Quivira Sauvignon Blanc, Fig Tree Vineyard From : Dry Creek Valley, Calif. Price: $18 Serve with : Shellfish Quivira's Fig Tree Vineyard certainly delivers the fig flavor in this smooth, complex sauvignon blanc with touches of herbs, limes, pear and apple. It's a crisp, clean wine with a touch of yeast but no oak influence.

Hamilton Tavern is the noisiest restaurant I've ever eaten in. OK, maybe not noisier than RA Sushi with its loud rock and roll, but for a restaurant where no music is playing, it was the noisiest. Blame the handsome decor: the hardwood floors, the pressed-tin ceilings, the bare benches and tables, the interesting farm implements that are an integral part of the split-level dining room. (You open the front door with a wooden scythe handle.) No TVs, thank goodness, to add to the chaos. It's a great room with a built-in patina, only it's loud.

From: Mendocino, Calif. Price: $15 Serve with: Grilled seafood This is not a flashy wine. It's just a very pure, fresh, penetrating sauvignon blanc that is true to its varietal character without going overboard in any way. It's pleasingly herbal without straying into shrillness. There are attractive notes of slate, juniper and citrus fruit. The finish is clean and satisfying.

Once you have answered the sticky Thanksgiving questions - what type of turkey stuffing and what set of relatives you are going to spend the day with - the next issue to solve is, what are you going to be sipping? Pairing your bottle with your bird is more work than it used to be. Now that craft beers and spirits are pushing wine for a spot on the drink menu, the task is more interesting, as well. Until recently, the consensus of beverage gurus was that wine ruled the day. The standard safe recommendations for Thanksgiving wine were sauvignon blanc for the white, pinot noir for the red. The more daring types pointed toward riesling or gew?