Meat-forward list that knows its lane
Uptown · Albuquerque · Brazilian Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 13, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Fogo de Chão Brazilian Steakhouse – Albuquerque’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Fogo de Chão Albuquerque is built around one mission: sell big red wines to people eating a lot of meat. It does that job competently, leaning hard into Argentina and Chile with a few California names scattered in. There's nothing surprising here, but nothing embarrassing either.
The list runs 80-150 bottles and stays squarely in South American and California territory — Argentina and Chile do the heavy lifting, with Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon leading the charge. Catena Zapata and Don Melchor represent the top tier, which is a legitimate flex for a chain steakhouse. Brazil gets a token appearance, which feels right given the concept but doesn't go deep enough to be interesting. If you're hunting for Burgundy, Barolo, or anything off the beaten path, move along.
Roughly 12-20 by-the-glass options keep the program accessible, though the rotation appears static — what's on the list today is probably what's been on the list for months. The pours skew predictably toward crowd-pleasing reds, which is fine when you're eating picanha but leaves white and sparkling drinkers with slim pickings.
Trivento Reserve Malbec — $60
Trivento Reserve punches above its retail weight, and at a steakhouse markup it's the least painful entry point for an honest, fruit-forward Malbec that can stand up to the churrasco.
Clos de los Siete Malbec
Most tables default to the Catena name they recognize, but Clos de los Siete — Michel Rolland's Mendoza project — brings more complexity and savory depth. Most people walk right past it.
Concha y Toro Marques de Casa Concha
A perfectly fine grocery-store bottle that routinely retails for $18-22 — at steakhouse markup it's a bad deal when better options are sitting right next to it on the same list.
Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon + Picanha
Don Melchor's structure and dark fruit go head-to-head with picanha's rich fat cap without getting buried — it's the one bottle on this list worth the splurge if you're ordering the full churrasco experience.
The Bottom Line
Fogo de Chão Albuquerque won't win any awards for wine creativity, but the South American red game is solid enough to get you through a meat marathon without regret. Just don't expect to discover anything new — this list is on autopilot.
· 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
· Albuquerque · New Mexican / Farm-to-Table
Campo's wine list shouldn't be this good for a 16-bottle farm restaurant, and the pricing is almost suspiciously reasonable. If you're passing through Albuquerque, this alone is worth the detour.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Nob Hill · Albuquerque · French Bistro
P'tit Louis is doing something genuinely uncommon in Albuquerque: a French wine list that actually earns the bistro name. It's not the deepest list in the world, but it's focused, fairly priced, and full of bottles worth ordering — send a friend here and tell them to skip the Jadot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Uptown · Albuquerque · Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Albuquerque is the reliable airport terminal of wine lists — you know exactly what you're getting, it'll cost more than it should, and nothing will go wrong. If you're celebrating and want to hand someone a bottle of Silver Oak without any drama, this is your spot; if you're here for wine discovery, you're in the wrong room.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
North Valley/Los Poblanos · Albuquerque · Cocktail & Wine Bar
The Library Bar at Los Poblanos isn't trying to be a serious wine destination — it's trying to be an honest expression of place, and it largely succeeds. If you care about drinking local and you haven't touched a New Mexico bottle in a while, this is the right room to fix that.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Westside/Coors · Albuquerque · Italian
M'tucci's Coors isn't trying to be a destination wine program, and that honesty works in its favor. Show up on a Monday or Tuesday, grab a half-price bottle of the private label, and order the osso buco — you'll leave happy.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
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
The Star / Warren Parkway · Frisco · Brazilian Steakhouse
Fogo de Chão Frisco isn't trying to be a wine destination, and the list makes that clear — but it's doing enough of the right things with legitimate South American producers to avoid embarrassment. Drink the Malbec, skip the markup on the prestige bottles, and stay focused on why you actually came here.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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