Dip with Pinot Noir and Cherry

Pinot Noir and Cherry Sauce by Lang Weinessig

Pinot Noir and Cherry Sauce by Lang Weinessig is the dark variety among the house's condiment sauces. The cherry is featured twice, as boiled-down juice and as whole fruit, complemented by Pinot Noir, onion, and mustard for savory depth.

Pinot Noir and Cherry Sauce is a savory sauce for hearty dishes from Lang Weinessig in the Southern Palatinate, available in a 175-milliliter bottle. The name "Tunke" (dip) is taken literally: it is thick enough for a spoon yet fluid enough to drizzle over a roast.

Dark fruit, tart and sweet at the same time

It has an aroma of sour cherry and dark wine, and its taste falls right between sweet and tart, just as only sour cherries can achieve. Mustard and onion provide a savory base, turning it into a condiment rather than a compote. Sour cherries naturally have more acidity than sweet cherries, which is exactly what gives this sauce its character.

The Pinot Noir adds a velvety wine note, the cherry provides the tart core, and the grape must adds rounded sweetness behind it. Together, this creates a condiment that stands up to hearty dishes without overpowering them. It stays on the plate rather than pooling at the edges, which makes for easier plating.

With game, roasts, and on a cheese platter

This sauce shows its strength when paired with game and venison, duck, dark roasts, and grilled meats. A spoonful added to gravy gives Sunday dinner a fruity depth, and it pairs perfectly alongside braised red cabbage, where it has belonged for a long time. It also finds its place with fried blood sausage or caramelized onions.

Served cold, it pairs well with cheese—both soft cheese and aged mountain cheese—alongside grapes and walnuts. Game pâté also pairs well with a dollop, though a spoonful next to the venison is plenty; any more would overwhelm the roast. For an oriental twist, try the Dornfelder and Date Sauce, or for a light and summery option, the Pinot Blanc and Apricot Sauce.

Double cherry in a bottle

The boiled-down sour cherry juice provides color and concentrated acidity, while the whole cherries contribute fruit pulp and soft sweetness. At Lang Weinessig, both go into the bottle, which is the source of this sauce’s dual note: tart on the surface and sweet underneath. Together, they create a depth that a single juice could never achieve.

The Pinot Noir is also boiled down so that its water evaporates, leaving the fruit flavor behind. Because the cherry already provides plenty of sweetness, the sauce requires very little else to become well-rounded. Furthermore, Pinot Noir is the classic red grape variety of the Palatinate, where cherry trees and vines often grow on the same slopes.

The cherry is the best friend of red cabbage

Store the bottle in a cool place and shake it before use so that everything redistributes evenly. When serving with game, stir a spoonful into the gravy or serve it in a small bowl on the side. If you are serving a roast this winter, it belongs right next to the red cabbage and dumplings. After opening, the bottle should be kept in the refrigerator, where it will last for several weeks. Other varieties can be found in the Lang Weinessig collection.