Meat-Forward, Wine List Holds Its Own
Scottsdale · Scottsdale · Brazilian Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 10, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Fogo de Chão Scottsdale arrives with the same confidence as the gaucho swords — big, bold, and clearly built around red meat. It's a well-curated 150-plus bottle program weighted toward California Cabs and Argentine Malbecs, which is exactly what you'd expect given that you're about to eat your body weight in Picanha. Wine Spectator has been handing this location an Award of Excellence since 2009, and the list earns that credibility.
Argentina leads the charge here, with Catena Zapata, Achaval Ferrer, and Zuccardi Valle de Uco all making appearances — a solid trifecta that covers the Malbec spectrum from plush and crowd-pleasing to structured and serious. California's heavy hitters show up too: Cakebread, Jordan, Silver Oak, Duckhorn, Rombauer, and Opus One for the table that wants to celebrate or flex. Chile gets a nod via Concha y Toro's Don Melchor, one of South America's most respected Cabernets and a welcome sign that the list isn't just going through the motions. The gaps are real though — don't come here looking for Burgundy, Barolo, or anything remotely off the beaten path.
The by-the-glass program runs 12-20 options in the $12-$18 range, which is reasonable for Scottsdale. You're not going to find anything adventurous here — expect the usual suspects poured in standard stems — but the range covers white, red, and likely a sparkling or two for good measure. Wednesday's half-price wine night is the real move if you're a regular.
Cono Sur Bicicleta Carmenere 2022 — $45
It's the sleeper on a list full of Napa name-drops. Carmenere at this price point is genuinely underpriced relative to what you're getting — a smoky, herb-laced red that actually cuts through the richness of the meats better than the big Cabs do. If you're not ordering this, you're leaving money on the table.
Zuccardi Valle de Uco Malbec
Most guests reach for the Catena or Silver Oak and call it a day, but the Zuccardi from Valle de Uco is the more interesting pour. High-altitude Mendoza fruit with a mineral backbone that sets it apart from the plush, riper style most people expect from Argentine Malbec. Worth the ask.
Rombauer Chardonnay 2022
At $115, you're paying a serious premium for a wine that retails around $40 — that's a markup ratio that stings. Rombauer is a perfectly fine, butter-bomb Chardonnay, but it's also everywhere, and it doesn't exactly complement a table covered in fire-roasted beef. Skip it here, buy it at Costco.
Achaval Ferrer Malbec + Picanha
Picanha — the sirloin cap — is the crown jewel of the churrascaria experience, and Achaval Ferrer's Malbec matches its richness without bulldozing it. The wine has enough structure to handle the fat and enough dark fruit to complement the char. This is the pairing the menu was built for.
Wednesday — Half-price wine night every Wednesday — the single best reason to plan your visit mid-week.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Fogo de Chão Scottsdale isn't trying to be a wine bar, and it doesn't need to be — the list is purpose-built for red meat and it delivers. Markups lean steep on the trophy bottles, but the Argentine and Chilean selections give you a real path to drinking well without getting gouged.
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
Scottsdale · Scottsdale · Italian, Mediterranean
Virtu is one of the most credible Italian wine programs in Arizona — the producers are real, the pricing is honest, and the list has genuine depth in Piedmont and Tuscany. If you care about what's in the glass, this is the restaurant in Scottsdale worth planning your evening around.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown · Worcester · Brazilian Steakhouse
Alma Gaucha isn't a wine destination, but it doesn't pretend to be one — and that honesty is worth something. If you stick to the Zuccardi and the Don Melchor, you'll drink well enough to match the meat, and that's the whole point.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Bakersfield · Bakersfield · Brazilian Steakhouse
Flame & Fire Bakersfield is a reliable steakhouse wine list — it does what it's supposed to do without embarrassing itself. If you're coming for the meat, the Catena or the Quinta do Crasto will get you through the night with your wallet and your dignity intact.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Aurora City Center · Aurora · Brazilian Steakhouse
Texas de Brazil Aurora is a fine place to drink wine as long as you accept the list for what it is: a corporate steakhouse program that gets the job done without asking anything of you. Stick to the Malbec, skip the Chardonnay, and let the meat do the talking.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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