Chima Steakhouse
Gaucho Cuts Meet a Serious Wine Cellar
Fort Lauderdale · Fort Lauderdale · Brazilian Steakhouse
Reviewed April 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
You walk into Chima expecting meat on swords and a frozen caipirinha — what you don't expect is a 400-plus bottle list with Sassicaia, Opus One, and Chateau Margaux sitting next to Catena Zapata. The list has real ambition for a churrascaria, and Wine Spectator's Best of Award of Excellence (2025) isn't a fluke. This is a steakhouse that takes its wine seriously, even if the room is louder than a Copa Mundial broadcast.
Selection Deep Dive
California dominates and rightly so — Caymus, Silver Oak, Jordan, Far Niente, Duckhorn, and Opus One give the Cabernet crowd everything they want with one list. Italy shows up strong with the Super Tuscans: Tignanello, Sassicaia, and Antinori Solaia all present, which is a genuine nod to the old world beyond just sticking Barolo on a shelf. Argentina gets its due with Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard and Achaval Ferrer Malbec — a smart call given the Brazilian context and the fact that big red meat loves big Malbec. The gaps are real though: Burgundy and the Rhône are thin, and if you're looking for anything outside the California-Italy-France-Argentina lane, this list won't help you.
By the Glass
Twenty to thirty-five options by the glass is generous for a churrascaria, and the rotation covers enough ground to get through a full rodízio service without repeating yourself. We'd push the staff on what's actually open and fresh — a list this size can mean bottles sitting open longer than they should. Wednesday's half-price wine program is the real headline here; if you can plan around it, do.
Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino 2020 — $85
At $85, this is the most honest price on the list — Catena Zapata at this tier drinks well above its weight, and next to Picanha it's the most logical pour in the building. Everything else climbs fast.
Achaval Ferrer Malbec
Everyone eyes the Opus One and the Super Tuscans, but Achaval Ferrer is the underdog Malbec that consistently punches above its tier. It's got the structure for red meat without the Instagram markup, and most tables walk right past it.
Château Margaux 2018
At $1,250, you're paying a serious restaurant premium on a wine that needs another decade in a proper cellar to show what it is. This isn't the setting or the moment for Margaux — order it if it's someone else's card, otherwise put that money toward something that's actually ready to drink.
Tignanello + Picanha (sirloin cap)
Tignanello's Sangiovese-Cabernet blend has enough acidity to cut through the fat on Picanha and enough dark fruit to match the char. It's the Italian answer to a Brazilian cut, and it works better than any straight Cabernet on this list.
Wednesday — Half-price wine bottles on Wednesdays — applies to the full list, making otherwise steep markups suddenly reasonable.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Chima isn't a wine bar wearing a steakhouse costume — it's a legitimate churrascaria that happens to have built a wine program worth respecting. Pricing runs steep across the board, but Wednesday half-price night changes the math entirely, and the Argentine and Italian selections give you real choices beyond the usual California parade.
Comments
Get the Weekly Wingman
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.