Preheat oven to 350° with rack in the middle.  Make the sauce. Put the cherries in a bowl and add the orange juice and port winek to plump them up.  Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add the shallot and cook until tender, but not browned, 3 to 4 minutes.  Stir in the chicken stock, pinot noir wine and thyme.  Raise the heat to medium-high.  Bring to a boil and continue boiling until reducing to half its volume, about 15 minutes or less. Stir in the hoisin sauce.

Add the plumped cherries and their liquid to the pan. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low.  Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the liquid turns slightly syrupy, 7 to 10 minutes. Whisk in butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Cover the pan to keep warm for serving.   Sauce can be made in advance and reheated.

While the sauce is cooking, season the racks all over with Lawry’s Seasoned Salt.   Intertwine the 8 ribs of one rack with the other so they stand up on their own on your baking tray.  Roast the racks for 25-35 minutes or until a thermometer inserted diagonally into the center of meat registers 120°.  I test for doneness by pressing the meat with a clean finger.  When it sinks in a little, it is rare, which is best for roast lamb  Your guests who want it cooked more will enjoy the ends.  Let the rack sit on the baking tray for 5-10 minutes before you slice into it. Then slice each rack into 8 pieces letting the ribs be your guide.  Place 2 ribs on each plate and top with the sauce.

If any of your guests shudder at the sight of rare meat, offer to sear their pieces on a baking tray that you could have already hot in the oven for just this purpose.  One minute in the hot oven should do the job.