Darden Restaurants, which owns Olive Garden, Red Lobster and Longhorn Steakhouse, has responded to the trend with new restaurant franchises like Yard House, which prides itself on a large draft beer menu, American-fusion cuisine and a lively atmosphere punctuated with classic rock music and flat-screen TVs playing sporting events and news broadcasts.
Alpana Singh, a Chicago-based sommelier, author and almost-restaurateur (her Boarding Houserestaurant is opening soon), had a useful rule of thumb: Look for red wines "that you can see through, " she said.