Meat-Forward Room, Wine List Holds Its Own
Downtown Ocala · Ocala · Brazilian Steakhouse
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 15, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Ipanema Brazilian Steak House’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
Walk into Ipanema and the stained-glass chandeliers and tableside gaucho service immediately tell you this place is serious about the experience — but the wine list is more of a supporting cast than a headliner. It's tight, predictable, and South American-leaning, which at least makes geographic sense when you're surrounded by Argentinian cuts and Brazilian churrasco.
The list leans heavily on Argentina and Chile, with recognizable names like Trivento Reserve Malbec, Catena Malbec, Concha y Toro Carménère, and Santa Rita Cabernet Sauvignon anchoring most of what's on offer. There's a nod to California and Brazil in the mix, but don't come hunting for anything obscure — this is a crowd-pleaser list designed to move bottles, not start conversations. The Argentine Malbecs are the obvious best fit for a room full of rotisserie beef, and to their credit, they chose producers that aren't embarrassing. Gaps in Burgundy, Rhône, and anything remotely adventurous are real, but this isn't that kind of room.
Six to ten pours estimated, priced in the $9–$15 range — reasonable for a mid-Florida steakhouse and not a total shakedown. The glass program mirrors the bottle list: South American reds dominate, which is exactly what you want when a gaucho is walking toward your table with a sword of picanha. Don't expect a rotating slate of interesting pours; what's on the menu is likely what's been on the menu for a while.
Trivento Reserve Malbec — $35–$45 (est. bottle)
Trivento Reserve punches above its price point with enough dark fruit and structure to hold up against the parade of red meats. At steakhouse bottle prices, this is the smart order — don't overthink it.
Concha y Toro Carménère
Most tables reach for the Malbec on autopilot, but the Carménère brings a savory, slightly smoky edge that's actually a better match for lamb and game cuts off the rodizio pass. It's an underdog worth grabbing.
Santa Rita Cabernet Sauvignon
Santa Rita is entry-level supermarket wine dressed up in a steakhouse setting. At restaurant markup it's hard to justify when the Catena Malbec is sitting right there doing more with less.
Catena Malbec + Rodizio Meats (Picanha)
Catena's Malbec has the structure and the fruit weight to stand up to picanha's fatty, charred crust without getting steamrolled. This is why Argentine wine and Brazilian beef are basically best friends — same continent, no coincidence.
The Bottom Line
Ipanema isn't a wine destination, but it's not trying to be — the meat is the show and the wine list does its job without embarrassing anyone. If you stick to the Argentine Malbecs and keep your expectations calibrated to 'steakhouse-in-Ocala,' you'll leave happy.
SR 200 / Southwest Ocala · Ocala · Thai
Royal Orchid makes solid Thai food, and you should absolutely go — just order a Thai iced tea or a beer and pretend the wine list doesn't exist. If someone at your table insists on wine, point them to the Riesling and move on.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
SR 200 / Southwest Ocala · Ocala · Italian
Carrabba's Ocala isn't a wine destination and doesn't pretend to be — but Wine Wednesday (call ahead to confirm it's still running at this location) can turn a steep markup into a reasonable deal. Come for the Chicken Bryan, drink the Riesling, skip the Caymus.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Downtown Ocala · Ocala · Charcuterie and Tapas
The Keep is doing something genuinely different for downtown Ocala — a rotating mead program, thoughtful wine picks, and markups that actually respect the customer. If you're in the area and care about what's in your glass, this is the move.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
South Ocala · Ocala · American Steakhouse
Texas Roadhouse is a great place to eat a steak and throw peanut shells on the floor — we respect the chaos. But the wine list is purely functional at best and an afterthought at worst, so come here for the food and the fun, not the Cabernet.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
World Equestrian Center · Ocala · Seafood
Juno & The Peacock shouldn't be this interesting, and that's the whole point — a seafood restaurant inside an Ocala equestrian complex with Chacra Patagonian Chardonnay and Eyrie Pinot Blanc is a genuine surprise. Markups lean steep and the format feels set-it-and-forget-it, but the underlying list has real taste behind it.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
World Equestrian Center · Ocala · American
The Polo Pony is a reliable pour for the horse show crowd — familiar bottles, fair enough execution, and enough range to keep a table happy. We wouldn't drive to Ocala for the wine list, but if you're already at the World Equestrian Center, you'll drink just fine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· 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
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