The GRAPE COLLECTIVE--an ONLINE Wine Magazine Worth Reading by Philip S. Kampe and Dorothy J. Gaiter

 I am an avid reader ONLINE of numerous wine related websites. Recently, I came across an OURSTANDING website that has amazing writers (Why am I not included?)
Anyway, you must get my point--After reading the wonderful articles at The Wine Hub, go to the link: www.GrapeCollective.com and enjoy what the other guys are doing. I want to be one of them!!

Philip S. Kampe

Philip.Kampe@TheWineHub.com

                                                                                               

                                                                       

GRAPE COLLECTIVE: RETHINKING THE WINE MAGAZINE

New Online Publication Merges Content and Commerce to Connect More Readers To Wine

                       

Grape Collective (http://grapecollective.com/), a new subscription-free online wine magazine, revolutionizes how wine media is consumed by introducing a digital platform that bridges the gap between reading about a wine and drinking it. Loaded with content from the industry’s top writers and editors, Grape Collective is the only editorial format with integrated e-commerce wherein readers can read a story or watch a video about a wine, then procure it directly through the website.

Inspired by a common frustration among wine consumers—the difficulty of sourcing the wines we read about—Grape Collective founder Christopher Barnes set out to create a more seamless shopping experience. “In the past, my experiences of reading about a wine and then trying to buy it were extremely frustrating,” says Barnes, who was formerly president of the New York Observer Media Group and co-founder of amNewYork. “More often than not, I would find out that the wines that I had just read about in my favorite wine columns were unavailable.”

At its core, Grape Collective is a portal for top-notch wine content. It features regular, exclusive content from industry veterans including Dorothy J. Gaiter, who co-wrote the Wall Street Journal’s wine column, “Tastings”, from 1998 to 2010, and Barbara Fairchild, who was the editor in chief of Bon Appétit magazine from 2000 to 2010, as well as a fleet of established and emerging writers. Grape Collective’s collection of articles, video and multimedia features are geared to the casual-but-curious wine drinker, an audience that’s often overlooked by traditional wine media, which heavily favors the collector and connoisseur.

“We are rethinking a category where existing wine media focuses mainly on the affluent wine consumer, and most of the quality writing is hidden behind pay walls,” says Barnes. “Instead of charging our readers for access to our content, we’re supporting our business via direct wine sales—a customer service that also generates revenue.”

The content that appears on Grape Collective—a behind-the-scenes video tour of Rioja’s legendary wineries, an exploration of affordable alternatives to Sancerre, or an interview with Napa Valley pioneer Peter Mondavi, Sr.—is supervised by editorial director Nick Fauchald, formerly an editor at Wine Spectator, Food & Wine and Tasting Table.

“We want to introduce wines from a diverse selection of voices and perspectives that offer more insight and context than the industry’s standard 100-point grading system,” says Fauchald. “Instead of tasting wines inside an isolated office, our writers are on-the-ground reporters who have the freedom to share their discoveries with readers in an exciting new way.”

Grape Collective believes good wine becomes better the more you know about it. As such, its content, updated daily, will both inform and entertain, covering a variety of topics that range from emerging winemakers to restaurant sommeliers and roundups of the wine blogosphere.  

Grape Collective’s retail arm is headed up by John Finkle, a New Jersey-based wine retailer and owner of Magnolia Wines and Spirits.

Grape Collective is now live at http://grapecollective.com/. For information, including press interviews, and other PR-related information, please contact Liz Kellogg at 646.389.5235 or liz@kelloggandcaviar.com.

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CHART: COMPARE/CONTRAST

Grape Collective vs. Traditional Wine Magazine

	Grape Collective	Traditional Wine Magazine
Access to Online Content	Free. No paywall	Paywall. Subscription required
Print Counterpart	None. An online-only publication	Yes
Sell wines direct to reader	Yes - via integrated e-commerce feature	No
Content Contributors	Use multiple writers and focus on diversity of points of view.	Writers tend to be exclusive to publication. Majority is staff-generated content rather than freelance.
Content	Focus is on winemaker’s narratives and on-the-ground reporting from the vineyard	Focus on staff tasting notes
Audience	Casual-curious wine drinker	Wine connoisseurs and collectors
Revenue Stream	Generated from online wine sales	Based on advertising sales and paid subscription model
Content Frequency	Updated daily	Based on monthly editorial schedule

GRAPE COLLECTIVE

BIOS

Christopher Barnes, Founder & Publisher

Christopher Barnes, a frustrated wine drinker who couldn't figure out where to buy all the great wines written about in his favorite wine columns, is the visionary and publisher of Grape Collective. With more than 10 years experience creating innovative new media products in the publishing industry, Barnes has served as President of The New York Observer Media Group, where he oversaw the launch of multiple successful print and digital media properties, including Galleristny.com, Statestreetwire.com, Politicker.com, Betabeat.com, YUE, Commercial Observer, Scooter and Scene. His start-up experience also includes launching and managing two profitable free daily newspapers—am New York and Metro Boston—and co-founding The London Monthly Magazine.

Nick Fauchald, Editorial Director

Nick Fauchald is a Brooklyn-based writer, editor and publisher of print and digital products. He's been an editor at Food & Wine, Wine Spectator and Every Day with Rachael Ray magazines. From 2008 to 2011, he was the editor in chief of Tasting Table. In 2012, Nick created All Day Press, a publishing company that bridges traditional and new media by consulting on and creating print and digital products. His clients include The New York Times, Gilt Taste, Tennis and La Boîte á Epice. His writing has been featured in the Best Food Writing series, and he continues to contribute to numerous print and digital publications including Food & Wine, Departures, Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, AFAR and The Wall Street Journal.

Dorothy J. Gaiter, Senior Editor

Dorothy J. Gaiter conceived and wrote The Wall Street Journal's wine column, "Tastings," from 1998 to 2010 with her husband, John Brecher. She has been tasting and studying wine since 1973 and has had a distinguished career in journalism as a reporter, editor, columnist and editorial writer at The Miami Herald and The New York Times as well as at The Journal. Dottie and John are well known from their many television appearances, especially on Martha Stewart's show, and as the creators of the annual "Open That Bottle Night" celebration of wine and friendship.

Barbara Fairchild, Restaurant and Travel Editor

With more than three decades at Bon Appetit magazine—including over ten years as editor in chief—Barbara Fairchild is a nationally recognized expert in the areas of food, restaurants and travel. These days she is enjoying a second career as a freelance writer, editor, public speaker, radio personality, and journalism professor. She has appeared on numerous television programs, including Today show; Food Network's Iron Chef America; and Hell's Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares, both with Gordon Ramsay. In 2000, Fairchild was inducted into the James Beard Foundation's "Who's Who in American Food & Beverage.”

Kaitlyn Goalen, Managing Editor

Kaitlyn Goalen writes, cooks and eats, splitting her time between Raleigh and Brooklyn. She is the editor of Short Stack Editions, a series of small-format single-subject cookbooks, and was previously the National Editor at Tasting Table. Her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Wall Street Journal, Garden & Gun, O: The Oprah Magazine, AFAR, and Gastronomica.

Contributing Writers - See list here: https://grapecollective.com/about-us