Bold Reds Built for Carnivore Season
Scottsdale · Scottsdale · Brazilian Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · March 16, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Chama Gaucha’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Chama Gaucha arrives with the confidence of a gaucho wheeling a full skewer of picanha to your table — assertive, meat-forward, and not particularly interested in subtlety. It's a focused South American-leaning list with California cameos, clearly designed to serve one purpose: get bold red wine in front of people eating large quantities of beef. That's not a knock. It's a mission statement.
Argentina and Chile anchor the list, with Mendoza Malbec doing the heavy lifting — Catena Zapata and Clos de los Siete are the headliners, and they're solid choices that make sense here. Chile gets a proper nod with Concha y Toro's Don Melchor Cabernet, which is a genuinely serious bottle and one of the best reasons to open your wallet at this table. California shows up via Jordan Cabernet, a crowd-pleasing Sonoma name that earns its spot. Brazil gets a token presence, which is thematically appropriate but doesn't add much depth. There's no Old World to speak of, and if you're hunting for Burgundy or Barolo, you're at the wrong churrascaria.
Ten to sixteen pours by the glass is respectable for a steakhouse format, and the program sensibly skews toward reds that can stand up to charred meat. Don't expect much experimentation here — it's Malbec, Cab, and a handful of whites for the table members who drew the short straw. Rotation appears minimal; this is a set-it-and-forget-it glass program.
Clos de los Siete Malbec — $40
Michel Rolland's Mendoza blend punches well above its price point — it's structured enough to hold its own against picanha and priced at the low end of the list. Best QPR on the menu.
Concha y Toro Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon
Most tables at a churrascaria reach for Malbec on instinct, but Don Melchor is one of Chile's benchmark Cabs and a legitimately great bottle that gets overlooked because it's sitting next to more familiar names.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon
Jordan is a fine, reliable Sonoma Cab — but it's also available at nearly every steakhouse in America, and the markup here won't be doing you any favors. You can find this bottle at retail for much less. Spend up to Don Melchor instead.
Catena Zapata Malbec + Picanha
Picanha's rich fat cap and charred crust need a wine with enough fruit and structure to match — Catena Zapata's Malbec has the depth and dark berry weight to go toe-to-toe without getting lost. Classic combination, and it works every time.
The Bottom Line
Chama Gaucha's wine list is exactly what it needs to be: red-meat-ready, South American-first, and accessible without being embarrassing. It's not a destination for wine lovers, but it won't let you down if you stick to the Mendoza and Chilean anchors.
· Scottsdale · Restaurant
Anhelo is doing something quietly ambitious — a focused, considered wine list in a city that often settles for Caymus and a bucket of Whispering Angel. The markups aren't shy, but the curation is real, and the Sauternes library alone is worth a detour.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Old Town Scottsdale · Scottsdale · American
Frasher's isn't reinventing the steakhouse wine list, but it's doing the job with a Wine Spectator credential and a Wednesday half-price night that makes the steep markups a lot easier to live with. Send a friend here if they want a reliable California Cab with their red meat — just tell them to go on Wednesday.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
DC Ranch · Scottsdale · American, Small Plates
The Living Room isn't trying to reinvent wine — it's trying to make California Cab and Chardonnay feel like an event, and it mostly succeeds. Send your friends here for a comfortable, well-staffed wine experience; just remind them to drink the Duckhorn.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Scottsdale · Scottsdale · French
The Mick Brasserie is a dependable, well-staffed wine destination dressed up as a casual neighborhood spot — a genuinely rare combo in Scottsdale. The markups keep it from being a great deal, but the sommelier team and the quality of the list make it worth showing up for.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Scottsdale · Scottsdale · American, Steakhouse
STK Scottsdale is a reliable California wine destination — not a discovery, but a dependable one. If you're here for Wagyu and a bottle of Stag's Leap, you will not leave disappointed; just don't expect the list to surprise you.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Scottsdale · Scottsdale · Italian
Marcellino is doing something genuinely uncommon in Scottsdale — a disciplined, Italy-first wine program with real producers and a sommelier who clearly cares. Markups tip steep on the prestige bottles, but the depth of the list earns it a spot on your list if Italian wine is your thing.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Albuquerque · Brazilian Steakhouse
Fogo de Chão Albuquerque won't win any awards for wine creativity, but as a corporate steakhouse list goes, the South American focus is thematically solid and the VIK selections give wine-curious diners something to actually get excited about. Bring a Malbec drinker, skip the Casillero, and consider ordering up into the VIK range if the occasion calls for it.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Provo · Provo · Brazilian Steakhouse
Come to Tucanos for the meat parade — it's genuinely fun and the churrasco is the whole point. But skip the wine list entirely and order a caipirinha instead; the wine program is a missed opportunity that no one on staff seems bothered by.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
University Dr. East · College Station · Brazilian Steakhouse
Casa Do Brasil does the job — the list is functional, has a few genuine wines worth ordering, and everything pours by the glass which fits the format. The markups are real and consistent, so go in with eyes open and steer toward the Ridge or the Catena Alta to get actual value out of what they're offering.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp
