Dine and savor world-class wines at Fogo de Chao’s curated wine dinners.
The four-course dinners are paired with a selection of wines from a premium vineyard, with a speaker from that winery talking about the history of the vineyard, the winemakers and of course the wines themselves.
The authentic Brazilian steakhouse features an open churrasco grill showcasing their gaucho chefs demonstrating the culinary art of churrasco: expertly fire-roasting, butchering and serving meats tableside.
A recent dinner featured Daou Vineyard, with the meal chosen by Fogo de Chao’s general manager Steven Marshall.
The Daou Portfolio boasts world-class Bordeaux-style wines from Paso Robles. With the Daou Estate in the Adelaida AVA, the wines are an incredible reflection of the stunning terroir of Paso Robles.
Sommelier and Daou representative James Betts paired each course with a delightful Daou vintage.
The first course of warm lentil soup and butternut squash and arugula salad with a jumbo shrimp was served with a Daou rosé, which was a light complement to the lime vinaigrette of the salad.
The second course of a jumbo lump crab cake was served with Daou’s Pessimist Red Blend, a complex wine with ample aromas of blueberry, boysenberry, plum, and strawberry. Smoky notes of truffle and roasted coffee are accompanied by floral notes of lavender and lilac – a bold counterpart to the hearty crab cake.
Fogo’s famous picana was the third course, a Brazilian-style top sirloin cut with a thick fat cap, lightly seasoned with rock salt, and grilled to perfection. It was served with amazing lobster mashed potatoes, and accompanied by Daou’s rich Reserve Seventeen Forty Red Blend. Inspired by the classic cuvées of Bordeaux, Seventeen Forty is a Cabernet Sauvignon-driven wine with harmonious complements of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. This wine is named for the centuries-old Spanish monastery bell that today hangs at the winery, signifying their passion for legacy and heritage.
The fourth course featured Fogo’s claim to fame – since it is a steakhouse – their Wagyu porterhouse and lamb chops, served again with the delicious lobster mashed. The strong meats were paired with a strong Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, with a heady nose delivering fruit-forward aromas of blackberry, raspberry and plum with traces of licorice, thyme, vanilla and cherry.
Topping off the evening was coffee and a chocolate mousse cheesecake layered with ganache and graham cookie crumble.
These evenings are full of friends, fine dining and fine wines. Upcoming wine dinners include Cakebread Cellars wine dinner on Thursday, October 9, at 7 pm, and Wine & Wagyu with VIK wines on Thursday, November 6, at 6:30 pm.
Fogo de Chao is located at 6263 Topanga Canyon Blvd. in the Q Apartments building. For reservations for the wine evening call (213) 282-6699 or visit fogodechao.com.
