The 5 Best Wines for Memorial Day Weekend 2026 (Porch Pounders Under $25)
There’s nothing more liberating than having official plans for Memorial Day weekend.
When Mr. W&D asked me where I wanted to go this Memorial Day, I realized I’d almost forgotten how to plan a four-day weekend trip. Then suddenly my hot little hands remembered my long-neglected Airbnb app and my love of a properly stocked kitchen I didn’t have to clean.
We’re taking to the road (because airline tickets are way too expensive) and going to Hilton Head, South Carolina.
So if you’re planning on barbecues with friends, RVing out of town, drinking while watching the neighborhood from your porch, or avoiding family you happily haven’t seen for a very long time — I’m going to make choosing the best wines for Memorial Day weekend the easiest part of your plans.
Chill all of these porch pounder wines and let them live happily in your fridge until you’re ready to drink.
And, of course, grab a couple of each.If you want to round out the table, here’s my cheat sheet for serving a cheese course at any BBQ →
Best Italian White for Memorial Day: Gavi La Chiara
La Chiara Gavi is an Italian porch pounder made from the Cortese grape from the Gavi di Gavi appellation (say that three times fast).
It’s a perfect switch-up for all you Sauvignon Blanc lovers and is delightful sipped on its own. Clean and fresh, with notes of green apple, honeydew melon, and acacia wood.
Gavi di Gavi goes best with fish dishes, crab cakes, or roasted vegetables like asparagus or zucchini.
Country: Italy | Region: Gavi | Price: Around $18
Best Rosé for Memorial Day Weekend: La Vieille Ferme Rosé
What would the start of summer be without rosé?
Honestly, I have no idea. But I know it’s the start of hot weather when I’m standing in the rosé wine aisle at my local wine shop and I spy a 60ish Southern Belle in her tennis whites — rocking a mini skirt I don’t even dare to wear — sidling up next to me.
She says, “Which rosé do you like?”
“Depends on your budget.”
She laughs, but I’m dead serious. If you want a recommendation, I need to know how many dollars you want to part with.
“Oh, let’s say $15 a bottle.”
“Then you’ll want La Vieille Ferme Rosé from Famille Perrin, it’s not fancy. But it’s solid.” I say, pointing to the bottom shelf. “Don’t let the fact that it’s on the bottom fool you. It’s fresh and elegant. Think strawberry, tart cherry, white flowers, green peppercorns, and pink grapefruit with a little saltiness.”
“How’s the finish?” she asks.
“Nice, just a touch off-dry.”
She grabs four bottles immediately.
Damn, I’m good, I think. Just then one of the wine shop guys walks in our direction and plunks a case of White Burgundy (the ultimate French Chardonnay) in her cart and says, “Here’s your order, ma’am.”
Suddenly I want to be Mrs. Tennis Whites when I grow up.
La Vieille Ferme is available in 750ml bottles or a 3L box. That’s right — boxed wine you don’t have to hide.
It’s made from a blend of Cinsault, Grenache, and Syrah from France, aged in stainless steel, using the saignée method, where the juice from the early stages of red wine fermentation is bled off.
The saignée method (meaning “bleeding” in French) makes rosé a by-product of red wine fermentation. The winemaker removes a portion of the pink juice from the grape at an early stage, and ferments it separately to produce rosé.
In fact, François Millo, former president of the Provence Wine Council (CIVP), has slammed saignée-method rosé as “not true rosé.”
Anyway, François remains touchy. I don’t care. La Vieille Ferme rosé is delicious, goes with any type of food, and is highly quaffable. It’s my “go-to” rosé for Memorial Day or any day of the week.
Country: France | Region: Rhône Valley, Ventoux appellation | Price: Around $12
Best Sparkling Red for Memorial Day: Lambrusco di Sorbara
Now I know this wine might require a little “selling” to ya, but stay with me here.
Lambrusco is like an underappreciated mother who still insists on picking up the check when you go out to dinner. So if you’ve got one of those, tell her thank you.
Lambrusco di Sorbara DOC is a sparkling. Red. Wine.
Yes, you read that right. It’s a sparkling red wine. And no, it’s not sweet.
I think Lambrusco is one of the best and most versatile wines for Memorial Day weekend.
The pale garnet hue and crisp fizziness with luscious foam tastes like strawberries, raspberries, and roasted almonds. Dry, with a silky mineral finish.
I personally love drinking this while sitting by the pool, trying not to get splashed by small hooligans that happen to be related to me.
Serve it with barbecued pork, chicken, or beef. Lambrusco even goes surprisingly well with mushroom or eggplant dishes.
Look for: Cleto Chiarli e Figli or any Lambrusco di Sorbara DOC from a recent vintage.
Country: Italy | Region: Emilia-Romagna | Price: Around $20
Best French White for Memorial Day: Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie
What the heck is Muscadet? It’s also known as Muscadet Sur Lie or Melon de Bourgogne, and in my opinion, this is like drinking a way more complex Sauvignon Blanc.
Don’t rage at me. I’m telling you Muscadet is an excellent option if you’re always reaching for the Sauv Blanc. So change it up, Susan.
It’s creamy, complex, refreshing, and bone dry.
Now, Muscadet isn’t Moscato. Please don’t confuse the two.
I discovered the Trader Joe’s Muscadet Sèvre et Maine whilst checking out. Mr. W&D was over Trader Joe’s while I oohed and ahhed at every wine bottle. He was practically pushing the cart to the checkout while I kept running behind, adding more bottles.
“You have excellent taste in wine,” the clerk said. I nodded and smiled. Mentally tallying up the damage to be inflicted on my wallet.
“Wait — I have to show you this wine. You’re going to love it.”
Jolted out of my calculations, I followed as he walked off toward the wine aisle facing us.
“This is fantastic,” he said, holding up the Muscadet.
“I’ll take two bottles.”
Muscadet is a pale straw-colored wine and usually an excellent value. Bright lemon, gooseberry, pineapple, hints of grass, golden apple, a touch of saline, and brioche. Effortless to drink and not overly fragrant.
But not all Muscadet is created equal. For a quick tip, make sure it has “Sur Lie” on the label, which means the Muscadet is a higher expression of the wine. “Sur lie” — or “with lees” — is a process where the wine is kept in contact with dead yeast cells, creating more texture and depth and giving you creamy, yeasty notes like brioche and toast.
This Muscadet plays well with shellfish, mussels, nachos, fried cod, grilled chicken, Mexican corn, or a grilled cheese sandwich.
Country: France | Region: Loire Valley | Price: Around $9
Best Red Wine for Memorial Day BBQ: Saint Cosme Côtes du Rhône
Are you ready for a Syrah that’s not from Australia? Well, if it were, it would be called Shiraz. 😉
This Syrah from the Southern Rhône Valley is produced at Château de Saint Cosme, the leading estate of Gigondas, which makes the appellation’s benchmark wines.
The vineyards are located in the stony Villafranchian terraces of the Gard, known for their limestone sand, red clay, and pebbles — which give a bright intensity to the Syrah grapes.
The exciting thing about Saint Cosme Côtes du Rhône is it’s vinified in concrete vats, which lets the spicy notes of black pepper, sandalwood, crushed violets, and wild thyme shine through. It’s an intense oxblood-colored, aromatic wine.
This French Syrah won’t be as bold and lush as an Australian Shiraz, so don’t compare it. But it’s sharp and aggressive with firm tannins.
If you’re into big-name wine critics, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate consistently calls this a “perennial bargain.”
Stick this medium-bodied red in the fridge for 45 minutes before serving. You’ll get the full expression of the luscious fruit flavors that way.
This Syrah pairs delightfully with grilled ribeyes, hamburgers, spareribs, baked beans, venison, spicy dishes, smoked brisket, pork butt, pizza, or even roasted lamb.
Country: France | Region: Côtes-du-Rhône | Price: Around $20
Memorial Day Wine FAQ
What’s the best cheap wine for a BBQ? For under $15, La Vieille Ferme Rosé and Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie are the easiest crowd-pleasers. Both are bone dry, food-flexible, and won’t make anyone roll their eyes at the price tag.
Can you drink red wine in summer? Yes, but chill it. A 45-minute stint in the fridge before serving a Syrah, Pinot Noir, or Lambrusco completely changes the experience. Room temperature in July is wine purgatory.
What’s a “porch pounder” wine? A porch pounder is my term for a wine that’s easy to drink, doesn’t require thought, and tastes good cold. The opposite of a wine you have to “study.” If you can drink it on a porch while a kid throws a pool noodle at you, it qualifies.
How many bottles should I buy per person for Memorial Day weekend? Plan on one bottle per two adults per evening, then add 25% because Memorial Day weekend lasts four days and someone will inevitably open “just one more.”
Before You Go
If you’re serving wine, you’re serving cheese. (It’s the law.)
I put together a free printable: How to Serve a Cheese Course Like a French Heiress — the exact two-page cheat sheet I use to put together a cheese board that makes guests think you spent the afternoon at a fromagerie when you spent twelve minutes at Costco.
Grab the free cheese course cheat sheet →
Drop me a comment and let me know which porch pounder you tried this Memorial Day weekend.
