Great Meat, Wine an Afterthought
Downtown · Milwaukee · Brazilian Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 9, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Rodizio Grill – Milwaukee’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You walk into Rodizio Grill and the energy is all about the meat — gauchos in traditional dress, swords of picanha and lamb, a sprawling salad bar. The wine list feels like it was assembled to fill a legal requirement rather than complement the food. It's there, it's fine, and it will not excite you.
The list runs 30 to 50 bottles and leans hard on the obvious: Malbec from Mendoza dominates the South American corner, which at least makes thematic sense in a Brazilian steakhouse. There's a nod to Brazilian wine through Miolo, a large commercial producer from Rio Grande do Sul, which earns points for staying on-brand even if Miolo isn't exactly a discovery. Domestic U.S. selections round things out with nothing adventurous in sight — no interesting Tempranillo, no aged Rioja, no Chilean Carménère that could have elevated the list considerably. The gaps outnumber the highlights.
Six to ten options by the glass keeps things accessible for a party that can't agree on a bottle, but the selection mirrors the bottle list: safe, familiar, and built for volume rather than quality. Don't expect rotation or anything poured with purpose — what's on the list tonight is probably what was on it six months ago.
Gaucho Club Malbec — $38
It's the most honest pick on the list — a straightforward Mendoza Malbec that holds its own against the heavier cuts of meat without asking you to think too hard about it. At this price point it won't blow your mind, but it won't embarrass you either.
Miolo (Brazilian selection)
Most tables here will reach for the Malbec without a second thought, but the Miolo is quietly the most interesting thing on the list. Brazilian wine is still a curiosity for most American diners, and Miolo's Serra Gaúcha reds have enough grip to handle the churrasco spread. Try it once — worst case you have a story.
Malbec from Mendoza (generic/house tier)
The entry-level Malbec on this list is marked up well past what you'd pay for the same quality at retail, and in a room full of bold grilled meats it's going to taste flat and unremarkable. Save the money, drink the Gaucho Club, or honestly just order a caipirinha.
Gaucho Club Malbec + Full Rodizio – Picanha
Picanha is the star of the rodizio circuit — fatty, charred, deeply savory — and a Mendoza Malbec's dark fruit and soft tannins are built for exactly this moment. It's not a revelatory pairing, but it's a correct one, and correct counts for something when there's a sword of beef coming at your face.
The Bottom Line
Rodizio Grill Milwaukee is a genuinely fun night out if you're there for the meat and the spectacle — but the wine list is coasting on the restaurant's momentum rather than adding anything to it. Order the Gaucho Club, enjoy the picanha, and save your serious wine budget for somewhere else.
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Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Deep & Eclectic
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Varietal Specific
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Active Program
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Solid Range
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Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
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Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Chima is a great place to eat a lot of meat. It is not a great place to drink wine — five Napa Cabs at $89 flat is a placeholder, not a program. Order the caipirinha and save the wine for somewhere that cares.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
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Fogo de Chão is here to sell you a meat experience, and the wine list is an afterthought that exists to support that mission — not elevate it. Stick to the Zuccardi Malbec or the Garzón Albariño and spend your energy on the food.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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