Former NY Observer boss to launch wine website

Christopher Barnes, the former New York Observer president, is starting a digital online ‘zine called GrapeCollective.com, with a big e-commerce wine-retailing component and $1 million in backing.

Nick Fauchald, former editor-in-chief of the epicurean newsletter Tasting Table, is the editorial director. He held earlier editor gigs at Wine Spectator and Food & Wine.

A staff of contributors includes Senior Editor Dorothy J. Gaiter, who wrote the Wall Street Journal’s wine column, “Tastings,” with her husband, John Brecher, from 1998 to 2010, and restaurant & travel editor, Barbara Fairchild, who spent 10 years as the editor-in-chief of Bon Appétit at Condé Nast.

Barnes’ departure from the Observer was announced in August 2012 — the same day that then-editor-in-chief Elizabeth Spiers resigned.

But there were apparently no hard feelings with Jared Kushner, the owner of the Observer, who is now one of the 11 backers behind the new venture.

Barnes is concentrating on some wines with a decidedly un-Kushner-like price range — in the $10 to $30 bracket, and video will play a big role.

“The idea is that you can hear the winemakers talking about what is unique about their wines and see where they are made.”

Marvin Shanken , head of M. Shanken Communications, which publishes the industry leader, Wine Spectator, said he was not familiar with Barnes’ upstart site.

“Today there are literally hundreds of sites selling wine,” he said. “It’s very competitive. We do not sell wine.”