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Home » Recipes » Appetizer » Fromage Fort – Wine and Cheese Dip & Merlot Meatballs

Fromage Fort – Wine and Cheese Dip & Merlot Meatballs

By: Rebecca  |  Published: January 26, 2016  |  Updated: November 13, 2019  |   View Our Affiliate Disclosure Policy

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These Merlot Meatballs are made with a balsamic vinegar and Frontera Merlot wine reduction that's laced with garlic and honey for a flavor profile that will blow your traditional game day sauces out of the stadium! via @sugarandsoulco

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Frontera Wines for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

Kick up your game day menu with this Fromage Fort (Wine and Cheese Dip) and Merlot Meatballs!

What a great way to use leftover cheese! This Fromage Fort is a French wine and cheese dip that uses up leftover cheese for an exceptional dip that's super easy to make! Ready in just 5 minutes!

Anyone who knows me knows that whenever I host a party, I’m usually making untraditional dishes! I have this need to try new things and have all my friends and family act as taste testers! So this past weekend when we had our friends over for the game, instead of making something traditional like my Baked Buffalo Chicken Dip, I decided on a dip that is actually SUPER traditional, but not here in the states! Fromage Fort! Which is actually a traditional French cheese spread made with white wine, Fromage Fort means ‘Strong Cheese’, and that is something it most definitely is!

What a great way to use leftover cheese! This Fromage Fort is a French wine and cheese dip that uses up leftover cheese for an exceptional dip that's super easy to make! Ready in just 5 minutes!

So one of the things I REALLY love about the recipe is that it’s traditionally made with leftover cheese. I know I’m not the only one who has partial blocks and bags of cheese in the fridge that need to be used up, and this is just the way to do it! All you need is a pound of whatever variety of cheeses you want and a white wine like Frontera’s Chardonnay and you’re minutes from an incredible dip!

What a great way to use leftover cheese! This Fromage Fort is a French wine and cheese dip that uses up leftover cheese for an exceptional dip that's super easy to make! Ready in just 5 minutes!

I happened to have almost a full block of Parmesan in the fridge and some remnants of shredded swiss, I wanted something sharp to accompany them, so I want with a nice aged cheddar. I added basil to my dip, but parsley is also a great option. A little less than a tsp of horseradish and a clove of garlic helps give it a zing and bring this dip to life! The wine both smooths out the dip and gives it a bold finish with some serious depth of flavor! What’s also nice is that this is a dip that’s served at room temp, so it’s going to contrast nicely with both hot and cold dips at the party!

Fromage Fort - Wine and Cheese Dip

Rebecca Hubbell
What a great way to use leftover cheese! This Fromage Fort is a French wine and cheese dip that uses up leftover cheese for an exceptional dip that's super easy to make! Ready in just 5 minutes!
5 from 6 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe
Course Appetizer
Servings 2 cups

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb. leftover cheese at room temperature. I used a mix of Parmesan, Sharp Aged Cheddar, and Swiss.
  • 1/2 cup Frontera Chardonnay
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter softened
  • 2 tbsp fresh basil or parsley
  • 3/4 tsp horseradish
  • 1 clove garlic
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Remove any rinds from the cheese and grate or chop cheese into small cubes.
  • Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until creamy and smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. I usually add half of my wine in with the rest of the ingredients and the other half after the first round of blending.
  • Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Cheese will harden up in the fridge and soften as is comes back down to room temperature.
  • Serve with fresh cracked black pepper.
Tried this Recipe? Tag me now!Mention @sugarandsoulco or tag #sugarandsoulco!

What a great way to use leftover cheese! This Fromage Fort is a French wine and cheese dip that uses up leftover cheese for an exceptional dip that's super easy to make! Ready in just 5 minutes!

Sometimes I go a little over the top with my parties, but in this instance, I really just wanted to keep it low key but with bold flavors! Did you see the Citrus Sangria I posted yesterday? That was a huge hit, who says you need beer to enjoy the game, wine and sangria are perfect for football Sunday!

frontera-party

And game days are never completely with something cooking in the crock pot! I’m a HUGE fan of cocktail meatballs and decided that rather than making my traditional sauce with cranberry and chili sauce, I wanted to make something from scratch! These Merlot Meatballs are made with a balsamic vinegar and Frontera Merlot wine reduction that’s laced with garlic and honey for a flavor profile that will blow your traditional game day sauces out of the stadium!

These Merlot Meatballs are made with a balsamic vinegar and Frontera Merlot wine reduction that's laced with garlic and honey for a flavor profile that will blow your traditional game day sauces out of the stadium!

These Merlot Meatballs have so much body to them, the sauce is out-of-this-world-good! I seriously could have put it on ice cream… okay, maybe that’s not true, but you get the idea! I owe it all to the Frontera Merlot wine, it’s an award-winning wine made with exceptional quality at a value price point! The 1.5-liter bottles make it so you can have some to cook with and plenty to serve on game days! Seriously, skip the beer and start prepping for a wine infused football Sunday you’ll never forget!

These Merlot Meatballs are made with a balsamic vinegar and Frontera Merlot wine reduction that's laced with garlic and honey for a flavor profile that will blow your traditional game day sauces out of the stadium!

Right now, Frontera Wines are hosting a Game Day Photo Contest for a chance to win ,000.00! Snap a picture of your guests enjoying wine during your Game Day Party for a chance to win Big Bucks! Visit www.Facebook.com/FronteraWine for more details. And don’t forget to visit the Simply Delicious wine cocktail recipes from Frontera – all are easy to make and use simple ingredients that are inexpensive pantry staples: www.fronterawines.com/cocktails!

These Merlot Meatballs are made with a balsamic vinegar and Frontera Merlot wine reduction that's laced with garlic and honey for a flavor profile that will blow your traditional game day sauces out of the stadium!

Merlot Meatballs

Rebecca Hubbell
These Merlot Meatballs are made with a balsamic vinegar and Frontera Merlot wine reduction that's laced with garlic and honey for a flavor profile that will blow your traditional game day sauces out of the stadium!
5 from 6 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe
Course Appetizer
Servings 50 meatballs

Ingredients
  

  • 1 26 oz. bag of bite-sized Italian or Swedish meatballs
  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 cup Frontera Merlot wine
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 10 tbsp unsalted butter cubed
  • 1 tsp corn starch
  • 1 tsp water

Instructions
 

  • Turn on the slow cooker to low heat and add the meatballs so they can begin thawing.
  • Add the balsamic vinegar, Frontera Merlot, garlic, soy sauce, and honey to a saucepan over medium-low heat and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.
  • Then add the cubes of butter to the mixture, stirring constantly to thicken as the butter melts.
  • In a small prep dish, stir together the corn starch and water until starch dissolves, then stir into sauce.
  • Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, then pour sauce over the meatballs in the slow cooker.
  • Cover slow cooker and cook on high for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until meatballs reach an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees F.
Tried this Recipe? Tag me now!Mention @sugarandsoulco or tag #sugarandsoulco!

These Merlot Meatballs are made with a balsamic vinegar and Frontera Merlot wine reduction that's laced with garlic and honey for a flavor profile that will blow your traditional game day sauces out of the stadium!

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Appetizer

About Rebecca Hubbell

I love sharing mouthwatering and fun recipes with all of you! My recipes are inspired by classic comfort food, the places I travel, and pop culture! I have a serious sweet tooth and love a good cocktail and pancakes and bacon are definitely my weakness! So stick around a discover something delicious!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tracy says

    September 5, 2020 at 8:40 am

    5 stars
    I make these meatballs all of the time. So easy! And they’re gone sometimes before I have a chance to eat a few! So…I definitely set a few aside for myself. When I double the recipe, I do let them go a little longer. Also, I like them a little “stickier and add a little extra honey! Thanks for this!!!

    Reply
  2. Marg says

    January 19, 2020 at 9:05 am

    I always make my own meatballs. Why do they have to be frozen?

    Reply
    • Rebecca Hubbell says

      January 20, 2020 at 10:32 am

      That’s just what I use.

      Reply
  3. Becky says

    November 19, 2018 at 10:56 pm

    5 stars
    I get raving comments every time I make these … awesome recipe!

    Reply
    • Rebecca Hubbell says

      November 20, 2018 at 12:11 pm

      So glad everyone loves them, Becky!

      Reply
  4. Rebecca Spencer says

    February 10, 2018 at 3:15 pm

    For the merlot meatballs, are the frozen meatballs cooked or raw?

    Reply
    • Rebecca Hubbell says

      February 10, 2018 at 6:22 pm

      Most frozen meatballs that I come across are precooked. But they should be frozen to start this recipe.

      Reply
  5. Ashley Reinhardt says

    January 8, 2018 at 10:49 am

    5 stars
    The merlot meatballs came out amazing!! Great balsamic/wine taste. Got lots of compliments on them. Will definitely be making them again. Thanks for the recipie ?

    Reply
    • Rebecca Hubbell says

      January 8, 2018 at 4:28 pm

      I’m so glad you loved them, isn’t that sauce amazing? Great on steaks and chicken too!

      Reply
  6. Jill Beyer says

    October 10, 2017 at 1:04 am

    Can you make the sauce ahead of time and pour over meatballs the next day in the slow cooker?

    Reply
    • Rebecca Hubbell says

      October 13, 2017 at 2:17 pm

      Hi Jill, I’m not sure as I’ve never done it that way before.

      Reply
  7. RS says

    August 1, 2017 at 2:00 pm

    Have you tried these with any other wines, like a Cab? Or is merlot best for meatballs?

    Reply
    • Rebecca says

      August 1, 2017 at 7:01 pm

      I have not, the merlot sauce is a sauce that is traditionally served over steaks, I’m sure a Cabernet would work just fine, but I would be hesitant to use a white wine.

      Reply
  8. Marci says

    June 29, 2017 at 2:38 pm

    Do you have a preference between Italian or Swedish meatballs? Wondering what which type is preferred with the sauce? And do you always start with frozen meatballs? Thanks in advance 🙂

    Reply
    • Rebecca says

      June 29, 2017 at 2:42 pm

      Hi Marci, The type is personal preference really, as long as they’re small, cocktail party meatballs you should be good. And yes, always frozen.

      Reply
  9. Chris says

    June 1, 2017 at 5:56 pm

    I was wondering if I could leave them in the crockpot on low all day? I need them by 5:00 and not enough time before because I will be at work.

    Reply
    • Rebecca says

      June 2, 2017 at 10:58 pm

      Hi Chris, I would not as this sauce with separate after several hours.

      Reply
  10. Barb says

    May 3, 2017 at 7:57 pm

    Wondering if 10TB of butter (in the meatball recipe) is a typo? That’s a lot of butter….???

    Reply
    • Rebecca says

      May 4, 2017 at 3:36 pm

      The amount of butter is correct.

      Reply
  11. Kate says

    February 2, 2017 at 12:59 am

    Hi there,
    I want to make these ahead of time for my party and let them sit on low for 5 to 6 hours in crockpot. Do u think that’s dine or will it dry out?

    Reply
    • Rebecca says

      February 3, 2017 at 9:33 am

      Hi Kate,

      That’s too long for them to sit out, the sauce could separate after that long of a time.

      Rebecca

      Reply
  12. Joann says

    January 30, 2017 at 5:40 pm

    No meatballs???

    Reply
    • Rebecca says

      January 30, 2017 at 5:52 pm

      Hi Joann,

      There are actually two recipes in this post, scroll down to find the recipe for the meatballs 🙂

      Rebecca

      Reply
  13. Whitney says

    July 20, 2016 at 10:59 am

    The recipe for the wine and cheese dip is posted twice and nothing for the merlot meatballs. Looking for the meatball recipe, please.

    Reply
    • Rebecca says

      July 20, 2016 at 11:15 am

      Hi Whitney,

      The recipe is there. It just pulled the other recipes name, all fixed now!

      Reply
  14. Mary says

    July 5, 2016 at 11:29 am

    Where’s the recipe & directions for the Merlot Meatballs??

    Reply
    • Rebecca says

      July 5, 2016 at 11:44 am

      Hi Mary,

      You should be able to see it now.

      Rebecca

      Reply

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