Lang Weinessig Tunke Riesling & Fig. Vinegar sauce with fig – sweet-tart, fresh, 335 ml.

Lang Weinessig Tunke Riesling & Fig is a slightly creamy vinegar sauce from the Southern Palatinate. It consists of concentrated Riesling wine (27 percent), white wine vinegar (18 percent), and dried figs (9 percent), plus onions, mustard, and sea salt. Sweet-tart and fresh, sweetened with grape must and fruit, with no added crystal sugar. 335 ml for dips, dressings, and barbecue sauce.

Tunke Riesling & Fig by Lang Weinessig is a vinegar preparation for dunking, dipping, and dressing. This "Tunke" (dip/sauce) occupies the middle ground between a dressing, a dip, and a sauce: it is creamier than a vinaigrette, yet still fluid enough to pour over a salad. The producer summarizes the variety in one sentence: Riesling kisses Fig. It has become a staple for us.

Fine fruit, fresh acidity, a touch of mustard

The sauce has a sweet-tart taste and is wonderfully fresh. The Riesling provides the bright, clear acidity, while the fig contributes a mild, soft fruit sweetness.

The white wine vinegar keeps both in balance, while onion and mustard provide subtle seasoning in the background. This sauce is less robust than the Dornfelder variety and significantly fruitier than a classic mustard sauce. The manufacturer describes the variety as sweet-tart, and that is exactly how it tastes: first comes the fruit, then the acidity, and finally the mustard.

The consistency is slightly creamy. It stays put on bread, and it distributes easily in a salad if you stir it with a little oil and water. The sweetness comes from grape must, wine concentrate, and fig, which explains the well-rounded flavor.

From dip evenings to barbecue sauce: how to use the large bottle

This sauce is suitable for dips, salads, cheese, and grilled meats. It is made for situations where you want to put something special on the table without much effort.

The manufacturer describes an evening that many are familiar with: you don't want to cook much, or you want to serve guests a small delicacy. You pour some sauce into a bowl and serve it with pieces of bread, raw vegetable sticks, cheese cubes, and meat strips. Everyone dunks for themselves, accompanied by a cool drink.

On the grill, the sauce pairs well with chicken and pork. Brush chicken drumsticks, pork tenderloin, or sausages shortly before the end of the grilling time so the fig doesn't burn. The sauce works like a fruity mustard with crispy toasted bread and soft cheeses like Camembert or fresh goat cheese.

In a salad, it works well with two tablespoons of sauce, one tablespoon of oil, and a splash of water. This is a good dressing for lamb's lettuce, arugula, pear, and goat cheese, for leaf lettuce with nuts, or for a salad with fried bacon.

For a snack platter, set three things on the table: good bread, a hard cheese, and the sauce. It also goes well with wine, as the Riesling in the sauce finds its counterpart in the glass.

Other ideas: a spoonful in potato salad instead of vinegar and mustard, as a spread under flammkuchen toppings, or with cold roast beef on a Sunday evening.

As a marinade, dilute three tablespoons of sauce with two tablespoons of oil and marinate chicken breast or pork medallions for an hour. During cooking, the surface becomes golden brown, and the mustard creates a flavorful crust. Roasted oven vegetables like carrots or pumpkin also turn out well this way: drizzle with the sauce shortly before the end of the cooking time.

Our tip: Serve the sauce with a cheese platter—a spoonful next to a bold mountain cheese, accompanied by walnuts and fresh bread. In this way, the sauce replaces a classic chutney for cheese.

Riesling and fig from the Palatinate, handcrafted

The base of the sauce is wine from a certified organic winery in the Southern Palatinate. It is produced by Lang Weinessig in Gommersheim.

The manufactory was founded by trained chef Jens Michael Lang, who learned his craft in star-rated kitchens. He has been making wine vinegars, vinaigrettes, fruit balsams, and ready-made salad dressings for over ten years. According to the manufacturer, the sauces are handmade and consist only of natural ingredients.

The manufacturer expressly calls the Riesling a Palatinate wine, and the sauce thrives on its clear, fruity acidity. The wine is boiled down and concentrated for the sauce, which adds body and sweetness. That is why the sauce can manage with grape must as a base, without the addition of crystal sugar.

In this variety, the Riesling provides the freshness and the dried figs provide the fruitiness. Both are clearly stated on the label: 27 percent Riesling wine, 18 percent white wine vinegar, 9 percent figs.

The family includes four sauces: in addition to Riesling & Fig, there are varieties with Pinot Noir and Cherry, Pinot Blanc and Apricot, and Dornfelder and Date. All four rely on wine from the same Southern Palatinate source and differ in fruit and spice.

The sauce for frequent users, hosts, and fig lovers

The 335 ml bottle is the right choice if you use the sauce regularly: for dip evenings, the barbecue season, and snack platters.

For a first trial, the small 175 ml bottle is sufficient. It is practical for smaller households or as a gift. If you already know the variety and refill often, the large bottle saves you from running out.

Stocking up is especially worthwhile during barbecue season, for family celebrations, and at Christmas when cheese, game, and roasts are on the table. The bottle lasts all evening, even if several guests are dipping at the same time.

The large bottle also works well as a hostess gift if you know they enjoy grilling and dipping.

Those who like to switch between varieties can combine it with the Dornfelder & Date Sauce for heartier dishes. Red wine lovers and white wine lovers can each find their own variety. You can find more from the manufacturer on the Lang Weinessig page.

The sauce is not suitable for those with a mustard allergy, as mustard is one of the ingredients. The Riesling wine contains sulfites. If you are looking for a very mild sauce for fish or seafood, you should rather choose the variety with Pinot Blanc and Apricot.

A vinegar sauce with Riesling and fig – for dip evenings, the grill, and the cheese platter.