What can you, the chain or foodservice operator, do to boost wine sales to the quality-conscious young Millennials?

First, take a good look at your wine-by-the-glass program. Chances are you should move it upscale, with higher price points and higher-quality selections, says Evan Goldstein of Allied Domecq. The Millennials tend to be open-minded, experimental drinkers, so consider offering multiple-portion opportunities, such as tasting flights or half glasses, half carafes or quarter carafes, or other delivery vehicles that allow guests to sample widely.

Evan Goldstein of Allied Domecq

“Humor sells,” says Goldstein. “Try to do things that are a little edgy, catchy or cute.” Use whimsical graphics or iconography or bold color to catch the eye of these young people. Consider grouping your wines into unconventional categories to give the selections a fresh, contemporary appeal and hipness.

Today’s young wine drinkers are more “geographically oblivious” than their parents, says Goldstein. They have no qualms about trying wine from Argentina, New Zealand or Greece and don’t assume that French is best. They choose wine by varietal more than by country, so think about organizing your list by varietal. Then “drop your geography in subtly,” says Goldstein. Invite the Merlot lover to try a side-by-side comparison: half glasses of Chilean and California Merlot, for example.

Use incentive programs to boost sales and educate young consumers and staff at the same time. You might plan a New Zealand wine promotion that starts with staff tastings and training on how to present these wines to guests, and includes table tents or other literature for diners. Offer servers financial incentives to sell the featured wines and everybody wins. Wine sales go up. The staff pockets a little more money and becomes more knowledgeable and comfortable around wine. And consumers get the chance to discover some bottlings they may not know.

Research conducted for the Wine Market Council suggests that adult Millennials are more likely to order wine in a casual chain restaurant than their parents, the Baby Boomers, are (49 percent versus 44 percent). If you haven’t done so, it may be time to review your wine program to make sure you are “speaking” to these free-spending, adventurous and wine-friendly diners.