This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Safeway. All opinions are 100% mine.
Is it too early to start planning for the holidays? Not this year friends! I think most of us are looking forward to December and putting 2020 very far behind us. And this Wine Advent Calendar is the BEST way to do that.
Do you have an advent calendar tradition in your home? We had a big quilted fabric one when my kids were young. It was carefully unpacked the day after Thanksgiving with all of the other decorations, and we always hung it on the door that went down to the basement playroom.
It had a Christmas tree on top and 25 pockets below. Each pocket held a fabric ornament that got velcroed to the tree each day. My kids loved counting down the days until Christmas with that calendar every single year.
So… this is the adult version of an advent calendar. Quite a different experience but every bit as exciting to open up each day.
I’ve heard about these over-21 advent calendars but I’ve never seen one in real life. Apparently, they’re incredibly popular and hard to find. Lucky for us, Safeway has come out with its own exclusive, limited-edition Wine Advent Calendar.
So make sure you add it to your grocery list and get one soon!
I scored one at my local Safeway in the Phoenix AZ area. They’re available exclusively at these Albertsons Companies family of stores:
- Albertsons
- Jewel-Osco
- Randalls
- Safeway
- Tom Thumb
- Vons
How This Wine Advent Calendar Works:
On December 1, you open the lid on your box of wine. Inside, you’ll see 24 randomly mixed-up dates. Find the right date, punch the hole, and lift out a surprise 187 ml bottle of wine.
There’s a red, white, or rose waiting for you each day leading up to Christmas, with no duplicates, so each day is a new wine-tasting experience.
To learn about your wine, Visit www.24daysofwine.com you’ll learn more about the varietal, the region where the grapes are grown, and interesting details about the flavor profile of each wine. You’ll even get great tips for which foods pair best with that wine.
The fun part is, you get to try something new every day. It’s perfect for anyone who wants to learn more about wine but doesn’t know where to start (like me!).
This wine advent calendar includes 16 distinct varietals – everything from Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and lesser-known ones like Gewurztraminer (try saying that 3-times!)
How to Turn Your Wine Advent Calendar Into a Holiday Celebration
- invite 23 of your closest friends over and break open the box.
- Treat yourself to one satisfying bottle along with food pairing each day in December until Christmas.
- Invite your friends and family members to pick up their own Wine Advent Calendars from Safeway (or gift them one) and plan a virtual wine and cheese tasting party.
- Turn your wine advent calendar into the best holiday gift basket ever – include a variety of cheeses, gourmet crackers, dried fruit, chocolates, and anything else you can think of.
- Make a pot of this absolutely delicious caramelized onion and herb fondue, open a bottle and dunk away, dunk away, dunk away all.
We all know cheese is a natural choice with a glass of wine, but if you want to kick it up a bit, make fondue – it’s incredibly easy. You can dunk anything or everything into your pot of fondue. Raw veggies, chunks of apple or pears, bread, salami, or roasted vegetables like I did here – they’re all good!
I feel like roasted vegetables turns fondue into dinner. Right?
The key to good fondue is good quality cheese that you grate yourself. Use a food processor to make it easy. I also like to use O Organics® fresh herbs here.
TIP:
The rich, nutty flavors in this fondue pair beautifully with the wines you’ll find on December 1 (Surfer Girl Pinot Noir), 3 (Daydreamer Cabernet Sauvignon), or 12 (Shades Gewurztraminer).
Caramelized Onion and Herb Fondue
Ingredients
- 6 ounces Gruyere cheese grated
- 6 ounces Fontina cheese grated
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 cup Sauvignon Blanc
- 1/2 cup dry Sherry
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/3 cup minced onion
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh herbs any combination: oregano, thyme, parsley, chives, tarragon
Instructions
- Toss the shredded cheese with the cornstarch in a mixing bowl. Make sure the cheese is well coated with the cornstarch. Set the cheese aside.
- Combine the Sauvignon Blanc, Sherry, lemon juice, nutmeg, and mustard in a small bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 5-7 minutes, or until golden.
- Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
- Add the wine and sherry mixture to the onions and garlic. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low.
- Add the cheese to the saucepan one handful at a time. Stir continuously until the cheese is melted, and then add the next handful. Make sure the stove is warm enough to melt the cheese, but low enough so that it doesn't burn or clump.
- Once all of the cheese is melted and smooth, stir in the herbs. Pour the fondue into a fondue pot or a glass container that can be rewarmed in the microwave periodically.
- Serve the fondue with roasted vegetables: red potatoes, roasted broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus.
Nutrition
Don’t forget Safeway also offers Grocery Delivery and Drive Up & Go TM for convenient ways to shop. And please remember – you must be legal drinking age to enjoy the contents of this Advent Wine Calendar. Always drink responsibly, and never drink alcohol and drive.
Eat well!
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