For the best roast turkey - with a faster cooking time and lower risk of infection - cook it separate from the stuffing. The breast meat can be prone to dryness if overcooked, but covering the bird with bacon during roasting can fix this. A more decadent way is to let foie gras melt under the skin, flavouring the bird with succulent goose fat. The best wine with a festive turkey should be good enough to share with family and friends. Plunkett Gewurztraminer 2004, Strathbogie Ranges, Victoria, Australia The smell of gewurztraminer can range from perfumed roses to tropical aromas, but the most prominent is that of the lychee. This Plunkett is dry, so it's flavourful but crisp. The flavours aren't overpowering, which makes it ideal for a festive food spread: it's sensual with smoked salmon. The palate is fruity, dry and long lasting. It's rich enough to cut through traditional turkey and gravy, and the dry, fruity notes would work well with a Moroccan cous-cous stuffing. Available for $181 from Kedington (tel: 2898 9323) Louis Latour Puligny- Montrachet 1er Cru 2001, Burgundy, France Make sure you have a few extra bottles of this in the fridge for the white wine fans. If you ask a Burgundian winemaker what is the difference between chardonnay, the grape and the wine (and village), Puligny Montrachet, he will either throw you out of his cottage or give you a lecture on history, geology and culture that will last for about five days. The fact that chardonnay is Burgundy's main white grape is almost casually ignored by the multitude of regionally proud artisans. The difference between Puligny and the village next to it, Chassagne, which is 10 minutes by bike, is huge. Puligny is often restrained with more linear structure, while Chassagne is fuller on the mid-palate and more voluptuous. Be sure to tell your guest that this premier cru is made from grapes gathered from second to top vineyards. Make this your Christmas white wine. It works especially well with foie gras flavoured turkey. Available for $575 from Remy (tel: 2845 5995) Calera Mills Vineyard Pinot Noir 2000, Mt Harlan, California The first glass of chunky Australian shiraz nearly always draws praise. But often, like an old joke, it's hard to raise the same enthusiasm for the second glass. Top pinot noir, on the other hand, is refreshing and intriguing each time. This Calera Mills Vineyard is positioned between the multi-vineyard blend and the top of the line Jensen's vineyard bottling. It's full of berries with a twist of nutmeg and spicy oak. There's plenty of silky texture to stimulate the palate but nothing sticks out. Serve it at room temperature. Available for $550 from Golden Gate Wine (tel: 2891 8121)