Eating for Charity: With an Ambullneo on your label, you will like it like it like it, on your table table table

There's a lot of dismay surrounding "critter" wines -- labels that feature a kangaroo, duck, frog, rhino or other garanimal. Last year, the New York Times cited Nielsen research that put critters on one in five of all new wine brands' labels. The logic is when shoppers coo, they buy.

Howeve, I'm impressed when a winery names itself for a critter with zero coo factor.

Ambullneo Vineyards is named for a breed that's a cross between an American Bulldog and a Neopolitan Mastiff. Ambullneos aren't familiar or cute (they look like the cement gargoyles in "Ghostbusters;" in any case, the wine's label is animal-free), but they are well loved by winery owner Greg Linn. And with the attention surrounding the Michael Vick trial, it's a good time for Ambullneo to host a wine dinner at Valentino that raises money for two large-breed charities. Reservations are $300 per person; all net proceeds go to support the Villaobos Foundation and CARMA Rescue.

Another key difference between Ambullneo and other critterish wines: Ambullneo has enviable Parker scores.

Wednesday, Oct. 17; 6:30 pm, Valentino Ristorante, 3115 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica. (310) 829-4313. $300.00* per person, plus tax and gratuity (*tax deduct less $148.)