Let the sea bass fillets rest at room temperature for 15-20 minutes. Pat them completely dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with salt and pepper.

Heat a large cast iron or stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the olive oil.

Carefully place the fillets in the hot pan. Sear without moving for 4-5 minutes, until a deep golden-brown crust forms on the bottom.

Flip the fillets. Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter and sliced garlic to the pan.

As the butter melts and foams, tilt the pan and use a large spoon to continuously baste the fish with the garlic butter for 3-4 minutes, until the fish is opaque and flakes easily (or reaches an internal temperature of 135°F).

Remove the fish to a warm plate. Optional: Add the white wine to the skillet, scraping up any browned bits. Let it simmer and reduce by half, about 1-2 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat. Squeeze in the lemon juice and stir in the fresh parsley.

Spoon the butter sauce over the fish fillets and serve immediately with lemon wedges.