Like a wine lover's palate, life after dark in Fresno is changing as some 20- and 30-somethings trade the rowdy bar scene for buttery chardonnay and earthy syrah sipped in a calmer, quieter setting.

The wine bar -- sometimes called the "anti-bar"-- is catching on with Millennials.

They're the generation that spends the most on nightlife, and increasingly they're spending their money on wine and wine bars.

Movies such as "Sideways" have made wine accessible to the public. Reports of the health benefits of wine are gaining attention. And a shedding of the snobby attitude that once turned consumers off are all contributing to an increased interest in wine, experts said.

You can see it in the Pinot Wine Bar and Bistro, the newest wine bar in Fresno, which opened in the former Palomino's restaurant at 805 E. Olive Ave. in December.

"This is an alternative to a sports bar," said owner Daniel Renteria.

It's a place where a couple on a date can hear one another speak. Friends can sample wine and small plates of food -- or taste a flight of three wines for $10 -- before or after a show at 2nd Space Theatre or Roger Rocka's Dinner Theater. And TVs blaring football games are noticeably absent.

"Every other day someone will tell me, 'Thank you for not having the TV on,' " Renteria said.

Wine bars offer a safer environment than a regular bar.

The owner of Vino & Friends, at Shepherd Avenue and Champlain Drive, said he sees plenty of first dates -- including people who meet online -- at Vino & Friends.

"We have a lot of women who are comfortable coming in here and sitting by themselves," said Chuck Van Fleet, who co-owns the business with his wife, Jen.

The women are less likely to get hit on while sitting alone, said Sean Dunn, who owns Water 2 Wine, a combination wine bar, winery and wine store in Old Town Clovis.

And even if they do get hit on, it's not going to be by somebody who has had five shots of tequila and won't take no for an answer, he said.

"It's more mellow," said Kirsten Bernhoft, 29, who recently moved to Lodi but still visits Vino & Friends monthly. "It's just got a great atmosphere. I really enjoy it versus going to a bar and being around people taking shots and stuff."

Travis Moore, 35, of Fresno, said he and his wife stop in for a quick bite and a glass of wine with their 6-month-old daughter -- something they can't do at a regular bar. He sees other people in their mid-20s and 30s drawn to wine bars, too, he said.

"It's the hot thing to do," he said.

Many, such as the 8-year-old J. Sorrenti Wine Bar inside the Sierra Nut House on Blackstone Avenue, attract professionals of all ages.

Owner JoAnn Sorrenti describes it as a Cheers-style wine bar with lots of regulars who aren't afraid to chat with newcomers.

"If you're new there, they always include you," she said, adding that they'll often share their own bottle of wine with a stranger.

Vino & Friends, open since 2006 as a wine shop and tasting room, became a true wine bar and expanded last summer after customers started requesting food.

The change involved a move to a space more than twice as big in the same shopping center.

Now it's getting ready to expand again. The plan is to add a room for special events, such as tastings with winemakers, rehearsal dinners and bridal showers. The room means regular business won't be interrupted by a special event.

It's not just the atmosphere, but the wine itself that's driving the shift, said Joe Joralemon, Fresno State winery's marketing assistant and an enology student.