Bold Reds Built for Carnivore Season
Scottsdale · Brazilian Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Updated October 2026
Reviewed March 16, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Chama Gaucha’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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 · Scottsdale · Italian, Mediterranean
A short, Italian-leaning wine list with a note that the full list is available on request. Start with the Planeta Grillo at 12/40 or the Noussan Petit Arvine at 23/80, ask which number is the glass price, and confirm everything, since the files are linked with 2024 dates in their names. This unrated guide covers the posted wine PDF, not service, storage or markups.
Old Town · Scottsdale · Modern Latin
A 32-wine list that mixes 26 two-price pairs, like 11/39, with six single prices from 90 to 155. Start with the 11/39 Pinot Grigio, or the 15/53 Trimbach Pinot Blanc if you want the one Alsace wine, and ask what each number in a pair covers before you order. This unrated guide covers the posted Old Town wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Scottsdale · Scottsdale · Italian
An Italian list dated 06.17.26 with 18 glass pours at 15 to 19 and full bottles from 60 to 970. Start with the Barbera d’Alba La Gemella at 15 a glass, or the Fontanavecchia Aglianico del Taburno from the chef’s Campania hometown at 17, and confirm prices because the list says they are subject to change. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Old Town · Scottsdale · American Gastropub
A long wine list that mixes Arizona and California bottles with Italian, French and Spanish wines, posted as pairs like 14 / 44 and single prices like 86. Start with the 13 / 48 Les Hauts Plateaux Rosé, or the 101 Scythians Red if you want the one Cucamonga Valley wine, and ask what each number in a pair covers. The restaurant's menus page and its linked PDF differ on some wines, so confirm before you go. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
North Scottsdale · Scottsdale · American Brasserie
A California-led list with a real glass tier under the big Cabernet bottles: 20 wines carry labeled 6 oz, 9 oz and bottle prices, starting at $13. Start with the Thomas Schmitt Riesling Kabinett at $13 for 6 oz or the Massican Sauvignon Blanc at $18 for 6 oz, and confirm prices because the menu is undated. This unrated guide covers the posted beverage menu, not service, storage or markups.
North Scottsdale · Scottsdale · Prime Steakhouse
A producer-by-producer list with 43 glass pours from $10 to $45, most of them $19 or less. Start with the $18 Pascal Jolivet Sauvignon Blanc, or pair the Daou Vineyards Cabernet ($18 glass, $72 bottle) with the 35 oz Prime Tomahawk at $147, and ask which bottling is pouring. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
· Bridgewater · Brazilian Steakhouse
Fogo de Chão Bridgewater is not a wine destination, and it doesn't try to be. The list is competent chain-restaurant territory: crowd-pleasing producers, steep-but-not-shocking markups on most bottles, and a wide enough by-the-glass selection to keep a table of six happy without debate. Grab the Alamos Malbec, skip the Chandon Mini, and save your wine focus for somewhere that earns it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Los Angeles · Brazilian Steakhouse
Fogo de Chão's wine list isn't trying to be a destination — it's trying to support a meat-forward meal without emptying your wallet, and it largely succeeds. The South American focus makes geographic sense, the pricing is fair for LA, and there are a few genuinely good bottles hiding in a otherwise safe list. If you're going for the full churrasco experience, grab the Lapostolle Sauvignon Blanc or the Catena Alta Chardonnay and let the gauchos do the rest.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· White Plains · Brazilian Steakhouse
Fogo de Chão White Plains is not a wine destination, but it's not trying to be. The by-the-glass program is wide enough to find something that works with the meat parade, the Malbec lineup is appropriately on-theme, and the $10 entry point keeps things accessible. Markups trend steep as you climb the list, so stay in the $10–$20 glass range and you'll leave satisfied. Send a friend here for the beef; the wine is just along for the ride.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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