Bottled au jus 'wines and dines' posh pets

Billed as the equivalent of fine wines for felines and canines, Bark Vineyards bottled “au jus” products are formulated to be used as gravy over dry petfoods. Housed in 750-mL green, glass wine bottles from Waterloo Container (www.waterloocontainer.com), the packaging is designed to be identical to that of human wine. “The human/animal bond is so strong that we want to provide for our animals the same luxuries we enjoy. A human can pick up a bottle of wine for themselves and one for their beloved four-legged friend,” remarks Bark Vineyards founder Kathleen Ramsey.

Designed to appeal to wine collectors and art lovers, the bottle labels feature beautiful illustrations of both cats and dogs. Greenbush Tape and Label (www.greenbushlabel.com) employs a Mark Andy (www.markandy.com) 2200 press to print the bottle labels on polyester using water-based inks.

Ramsey began the operation in 2004 in her kitchen, with Bark Vineyards' first “varietal” 2005 Barkundy, which simply was water that came with an attached seasoning packet.

With bottles designed specifically to market using shelf-appeal, the Bark Vineyards concept proved successful with wine lovers and the co. moved manufacturing to an FDA-approved facility in 2006. At the new facility, Ramsey could move away from the water-and-seasoning-packet concept.

All varietals now are premium au-jus, designed to be an alternative to wet foods for pets. The change did present one challenge. “We originally used corks as closures but quickly realized that meat products and corks are not compatible,” Ramsey explains.

All five varietals now are sealed with a CT cap. Komodo Pharmaceutical Services, LLC (www.komodops.com) developed the technology, which uses a two-piece design featuring a cap with a gelatin body that helps seal in the gravies' meaty ingredients. To ensure the safety of the ingredients, all bottles have tamper-evident seals.

Sauvignon Bark uses a chicken broth base, accented with spice and vegetable notes; Meowlot is made for both cats and dogs; Barkundy has a beef broth base; White Sniff 'N' Tail combines the aroma of salmon with the flavor of sweet potatoes; and Pinot Leasheo features the light taste of chicken broth accented with potato, carrots and parsley flavors. All varietals retail for $19.99 per bottle.