cocktail party

[no nothing about wine]

OK, We are throwing a cocktail party for some friends getting married. The party is at the end of May and although mixed drinks will be popular - we will have some wine drinkers there too! (some of them are wine snobs) so I'd like to get red and white - nothing too heavy - we're in the deep south
whites - light crisp not too dry
red - a little fruity, smooth and easy
any suggestions? Oh - I forgot to mention not too expensive, too. Thanks!

[Innkeeper]

Hi Know, and welcome to the Wine Board. 2001 Louis Jadot Beaujolais Villages, and 2001 Cave de Lugny, "Les Charmes", Chardonnay, Macon Lugny will work; both around $10 or less. If you are not buying things French right now, look for a Chianti (red) and a Verdicchio (white) from Italy; also available for around $10.

[stevebody]

Second to IK's suggestions, with a couple of additions:

White: Botromagno "Gravina", an Italian white that is flavorful but delicate and absolutely refreshing, beautifully made and almost laughably cheap (about $7)

or

Basa, a Spanish blend of Verdejo and Sauvignon Blanc that is like biting into a cold yellow apple and costs about $6

Red: Rosemount Estates (Australia) Shiraz/Cabernet, about $7, a delightful, fruity, easy-drinker that is also really nice chilled (not freezing cold; about 48 degrees will do it)

or

Rancho Zabaco Dancing Bull Zinfandel. It's a Gallo product, so it's EVERYWHERE, it's cheap, and - while it's not very good Zinfandel (meaning it doesn't taste much like that grape) it IS a really nice little bottle of wine. It's a great picnic and casual food drink and your store will never run out of it.

Hope these help!