Sealed single serve containers for wine

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a sealed packaged wine product in a single serve container. The packaged wine product includes an oxygen barrier container, a volume of wine disposed within the oxygen barrier container, and a volume of one or more gases within the oxygen barrier container.

1 . A packaged wine product comprising: 
 an oxygen barrier container;    a volume of wine disposed within said oxygen barrier container; and    a volume of one or more gases contained within a headspace in the oxygen barrier container, the gases having less of a deleterious effect on the wine than air, the oxygen barrier container comprising:    a base;    a receptacle supported on the base; and    a closure,    the base comprising a lower stem portion extending upward therefrom,    the receptacle being a one-piece, unitary, integral blow molded oriented polyethylene terephthalate structure comprising a wall defining an interior containing the volume of wine and an upper stem portion extending downward from the wall, the upper stem portion fixed via welding or adhesive with the lower stem portion to form a reinforced stem,    the wall having a rim defining an open upper end,    the rim including a top sealing surface, and    the closure comprising a removable film seal peelably sealed to the top surface of the rim and removable therefrom wherein the film seal also provides an oxygen barrier.    
   
   
       2 . The packaged wine product of  claim 1 , wherein the closure further comprising a snapable overcap comprising a top wall and a side wall extending therefrom.  
   
   
       3 . The packaged wine product of  claim 1 , wherein the base includes a broad circular lower portion.  
   
   
       4 . The packaged wine product of  claim 1 , wherein the upper stem portion is mechanically interfitted with and welded to the lower stem  
   
   
       5 . The packaged wine product of  claim 1  wherein the volume of the wine in the container is about 187 ml.  
   
   
       6 . The packaged wine product of  claim 1  wherein the oriented polyethylene terephthalate includes at least one oxygen scavenger in an amount effective for providing a shelf life to the wine of at least about six months.  
   
   
       7 . The packaged wine product of  claim 1 , wherein the headspace of the container is not more than about 8% of the total volume.  
   
   
       8 . The packaged wine product of  claim 7 , wherein the gas is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, argon and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       9 . A stemware packaged wine product comprising: 
 a stemware container;    a volume of wine disposed within the stemware container; and    a volume of one or more gases contained within a headspace in the stemware container, the stemware container comprising:    a base;    a blow molded oriented polyethylene terephthalate receptacle supported on the base; and a closure,    the base comprising a broad circular lower portion having a predetermined diameter and a lower stem portion extending upward therefrom, the oriented polyethylene terephthalate including at least one oxygen scavenger in an amount which is effective to preclude more oxygen from entering the receptacle as compared to the same oriented polyethylene terephthalate without the oxygen scavenger,    the receptacle being a one-piece, unitary, integral blow molded structure comprising a wall defining an interior containing the predetermined volume of wine and an upper stem portion extending downward from the wall, the upper stem portion being fixed via welding or adhesive with the lower stem portion to form a reinforced stem,    the wall having a rim defining an open upper end,    the receptacle having a diameter that varies over its height with a maximum diameter of the receptacle being at a point closer to the bottom than to the top of said container such that the center of gravity of the stemware container is below one half of the total height of the container,    the rim including a top surface and a side surface extending downward therefrom,    the closure comprising a removable film seal peelably sealed to the top surface of the rim and removable therefrom without leaving a residue that perceptibly impacts visual, tactile or organoleptic properties of the rim or the volume of wine when wine is sipped from the receptacle over said rim, and    the closure further comprising a reclosable overcap which snapingly engages the rim, the overcap comprising a top wall and a side wall extending therefrom.    
   
   
       10 . The packaged wine produce of  claim 9 , wherein the headspace is filled with a gas which has a deleterious effect on the wine in the container which is less than air.  
   
   
       11 . The packaged wine product of  claim 10 , wherein the gas is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, argon and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       12 . The packaged wine product as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the reinforced stem has a length from about one half inch to about one and one quarter inch.  
   
   
       13 . The packaged wine product as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the volume of the wine in the container is about 187 ml.  
   
   
       14 . A stemware packaged wine product comprising: 
 a stemware container;    a volume of wine disposed within the stemware container; and    a volume of one or more gases contained within a headspace in the stemware container, the stemware container comprising:    a base;    a blow molded oriented polyester receptacle supported on the base; and a closure,    the base comprising a lower stem portion extending upward therefrom, the oriented polyester including at least one oxygen scavenger in an amount which is effective to preclude more oxygen from entering the receptacle as compared to the same oriented polyester without the oxygen scavenger,    the receptacle being a one-piece, unitary, integral blow molded structure comprising a wall defining an interior containing the predetermined volume of wine and an upper stem portion extending downward from the wall, the upper stem portion being fixed via welding or adhesive with the lower stem portion to form a reinforced stem,    the wall having a rim defining an open upper end,    the receptacle having a diameter that varies over its height with a maximum diameter of the receptacle being at a point closer to the bottom than to the top of said container such that the center of gravity of the stemware container is below one half of the total height of the container,    the rim including a top surface and a side surface extending downward therefrom, and    the closure further comprising a removable seal peelably sealed to the top surface of the rim and removable therefrom without leaving a residue that perceptibly impacts visual, tactile or organoleptic properties of the rim or the volume of wine when wine is sipped from the receptacle over said rim.    
   
   
       15 . The stemware packaged wine product of  claim 14  wherein the oriented polyester is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate and polyethylene naphthalate.  
   
   
       16 . The stemware packaged wine product of  claim 14 , wherein the closure further comprising a snapable overcap comprising a top wall and a side wall extending therefrom.  
   
   
       17 . The stemware packaged wine product as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the blow molded oriented polyester receptacle supported on the base comprises: 
 a lower truncated spherical base portion which is effective for holding most of the wine in the stemware container; and    a frustoconical portion,    the spherical base portion being above the upper stem and below the frustoconical portion which frustoconical portion extends upwardly from the spherical portion to the rim,    the frustoconical portion defining the headspace above the wine, the headspace having a diameter which is equal to or larger at surface of the wine than an upper portion below the rim.    
   
   
       18 . The stemware wine product as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the headspace is filled with a gas which has a deleterious effect on the wine in the container which is less than air.  
   
   
       19 . The stemware wine product of  claim 15 , wherein the gas is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, argon and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       20 . The stemware wine product as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the reinforced stem has a length from about one half inch to about one and one quarter inch.  
   
   
       21 . The stemware wine product as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the volume of the wine in the container is about 187 ml.  
   
   
       22 . A method for packaging a wine product comprising: 
 adding a volume of wine to an oxygen barrier container having a volume of about 187 ml;    adding a volume of one or more gases to a headspace in the container; and    sealing the oxygen barrier container with a removable film seal,    the oxygen barrier container comprising a receptacle comprising blow molded oriented polyester which includes an oxygen scavenger.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the method further comprises placing a snapable overcap over the removable film.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the headspace is filled with a gas which has a deleterious effect on the wine in the container which is less than air.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the gas is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, argon and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the volume of the wine in the container is about 187 ml.  
   
   
       28 . A method for packaging a wine product comprising: 
 adding a volume of wine to a stemware container;    adding a volume of one or more gases;    sealing the stemware container with a removable film seal, and    placing a snapable reclosable overcap over the removable film seal, the stemware container comprising:    a base;    a blow molded oriented polyethylene terephthalate receptacle supported on the base; and a closure,    the base comprising a lower stem portion extending upward therefrom,    the receptacle being a one-piece, unitary, integral blow molded structure comprising a wall defining an interior containing the volume of wine and an upper stem portion extending downward from said wall, the upper stem portion being fixed via welding or adhesive with the lower stem portion to form a reinforced stem,    the closure comprising a removable film seal peelably sealed to said top surface of a rim defining an open upper end and removable therefrom without leaving a residue that perceptibly impacts visual, tactile or organoleptic properties of the rim or the predetermined volume of wine when wine is sipped from the receptacle over said rim.    
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the receptacle has a diameter that varies over its height with a maximum diameter of the receptacle being at a point closer to the bottom than to the top of said container such that the center of gravity is below 0.65, the total height of the container when the container is filled with wine.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein a headspace is filled with a gas which has a deleterious effect on the wine in the container which is less than air.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the gas is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, argon and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the reinforced stem has a length from about one half inch to about one and one quarter inch.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 28 ,, wherein the volume of the wine in the container is about 187 ml.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the blow molded oriented polyester includes an oxygen scavenger.  
   
   
       35 . A stemware packaged wine product comprising: 
 a stemware container;    a volume of wine disposed within the container; and    one or more gases contained within the container, the gases having less of a deleterious effect on the wine than air, the container comprising:    a base;    a blow receptacle supported on the base; and    a closure,    the base comprising a lower stem portion extending upward therefrom,    the receptacle being a one-piece, unitary, integral blow molded structure comprising a wall defining an interior containing the volume of wine-and an upper stem portion extending downward from the wall, the upper stem portion being fixed via welding or adhesive with the lower stem portion to form a reinforced stem,    the wall having a rim defining an open upper end,    the receptacle having a diameter that varies over its height with a maximum diameter of the receptacle being at a point closer to the bottom than to the top of the container and the center of gravity of the container is below 0.65 the total height of the container when full, the receptable including a lower truncated spherical base portion which is effective for holding most of the wine in the stemware container; and    a frustoconical portion,    the spherical base portion being above the upper stem and below the frustoconical portion which frustoconical portion extends upwardly from the spherical portion to the rim,    the frustoconical portion defining a headspace above the wine, the headspace having a diameter which is equal to or larger at surface of the wine than an upper portion below the rim,    the rim including a top surface and a side surface extending downward therefrom,    the closure comprising a removable film seal peelably sealed to the top surface of the rim and removable therefrom without leaving a residue that perceptibly impacts visual, tactile or organoleptic properties of the rim or the predetermined volume of wine when wine is sipped from the receptacle over said rim,    the closure further comprising a reclosable overcap comprising a top wall and a side wall extending therefrom, the side wall having an interior rib defining a reduced inner diameter for interacting with said frustoconical portion of said side surface of the rim to removable retain said closure on said receptacle.    
   
   
       36 . The packaged wine product of  claim 35 , wherein the gas is selected from the group of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, argon and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       37 . The packaged wine product as recited in  claim 36 , wherein the volume of the wine in the container is about 187 ml.