Meat-Forward Room, Wine List Holds Its Own
Downtown Ocala · Ocala · Brazilian Steakhouse
Reviewed April 15, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Ipanema Brazilian Steak House’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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
· 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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