Dallas, TX (June 9, 2005) – In the July issue of Cowboys & Indians Magazine, on newsstands June 14, Mark Kiffin, the recent James Beard Award winning chef, created his own wine tasting party at his Santa Fe abode, and explains to Cowboys & Indians’ Readers how they can pull off an exquisite wine tasting shindig with just the right menu, the right music and the right types of wines and champagnes.

Kiffin has worked, written and taught in the restaurant industry for more than 25 years, and being honored with a James Beard Award adds to his credentials. No wonder Cowboys & Indians looked to him for advice on how to throw the best wine tasting party. He is the owner and chef of “The Compound,” one of Santa Fe’s most elegant, upscale, and historic restaurants, formerly a conservative French restaurant, which he bought in 2000. He brought to it his own brand of breezy Western sophistication and contemporary American cuisine.

With wine tasting more popular now than ever with the success of the movie Sideways – about two men reaching middle-age with not much to show but disappointment, embark on a week long road trip through California's wine country – and Pinot Noirs elevated to pop-culture status, having a Western wine tasting at home is a great concept.

In the latest issue of Cowboys & Indians, Kiffin goes through the do’s of a successful wine tasting party. On the menu, he starts off with Pacific Northwest Oysters on the Half Shell, then moves into Cheesecraft’s Selected Artisan Cheeses. Four Courses later, he ends the meal with The Compound’s Famous Liquid Chocolate Cake with Port and Peppercorn Glaze. All of the recipes for the dishes mentioned in the magazine are shared with readers, including the Fire-Roasted Breast of Duck and the Apple & Pequillo Pepper Salsa.

Cowboys & Indians then moves onto the wines. Kiffin supplies all the wines at his house, but he points out that it is also fun if each guest brings a bottle. Five bottles is ideal with similar flavors. Along with the disclosure of the recipes for each dish, there is also a list of wines and champagnes that are a good choice for this specific menu.

You cannot have a proper wine tasting party without the proper music. Cowboys & Indians supplies to readers a Wine-and-Dine Music List. Some of the songs great to play during a wine tasting party are Blame the Vain by Dwight Yoakam, Heard It on the X by Los Super Seven, and Hang on Little Tomato by Pink Martini.

For the best suggestions on planning a wine tasting party, who better to look to than the Best Chef in the Southwest, Mark Kiffin?

For more information on Cowboys & Indians Magazine, or the full article on how to plan a wine tasting party, please contact Leah Wheeler via the information listed above