Gaucho Brazilian SteakHouse
South American steaks, South American pours — done right
Northville · Northville · Brazilian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 16, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The wine list at Gaucho arrives with a clear point of view: Argentina and Chile front and center, California playing backup, and not a lot of hand-wringing about obscure regions. For a churrascaria in suburban Michigan, that focus is exactly right — and a little unexpected. This is a list built for the food, and that's actually refreshing.
Selection Deep Dive
At 80-120 bottles, the list is purposeful without being exhaustive. Argentine Malbec from Mendoza anchors the red section, with Catena Zapata and Clos de los Siete giving the Argentina column some real credibility. Chile shows up strong with Concha y Toro Don Melchor and Montes Alpha — serious wines that belong on any list. California adds familiar faces like Jordan and Caymus, which will keep the table happy but don't add much adventure. There's a gap on white wines and anything from the Southern Hemisphere outside the main two countries, but for a steakhouse, the reds are doing the heavy lifting and mostly delivering.
By the Glass
Ten to sixteen by-the-glass options is a solid spread for a restaurant of this type, and the $10–$18 price range is reasonable without being a bargain. We'd love to see the glass program pushing harder into the Malbec and Carménère side of the list rather than defaulting to safe crowd-pleasers, but what's here gets the job done for a rodizio dinner.
Cono Sur Bicicleta Carmenere 2022 — $36
Carménère is criminally underordered and this one is the most approachable entry point on the list. At $36, it's the easiest yes on the menu — earthy, dark-fruited, and a natural match for the rotating cuts coming off the skewers.
Clos de los Siete
Most tables will instinctively reach for Caymus or Jordan, but this Mendoza blend — masterminded by Michel Rolland — is the sleeper hit of the list. It's a more complex, layered pour than anything California is bringing to this party, and it's priced accordingly lower than the big-name bottles.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
At $145, you're paying a significant premium for a bottle you could find at Total Wine for considerably less. Caymus is a fine wine, but it's not a restaurant list discovery — it's a menu tax on brand recognition. The Argentine and Chilean reds on this list tell a better story for less money.
Catena Zapata Malbec 2020 + Picanha (sirloin cap)
Picanha is the soul of a Brazilian steakhouse — fatty, bold, and just slightly charred at the edges. Catena Zapata's Malbec has the structure and dark fruit to stand up to it without overpowering the natural beefiness of the cut. This is the pairing the list was built for.
Wednesday — Half-price wine night every Wednesday — the single best reason to plan a midweek dinner here. The Malbecs and Chilean reds look a lot smarter at half the price.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Gaucho is a genuine wine surprise in Northville — a Brazilian steakhouse that takes its South American wine program seriously enough to earn a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence every year since 2013. The markups get steep on the California names, but stick to the Argentine and Chilean bottles and you'll eat and drink very well. Wednesday's half-price wine night is the kind of deal you tell your friends about.
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