Surprise!! This Rhone clone is from Oregon's Umpqua Valley. The winery was established by European transplant Philippe Girardet, who planted his vineyard on a sunny slope outside of Roseburg, OR in 1971. They now grow over 30 varieties of grapes.
The 2004 Girardet Grand Rouge Red Wine is a blend of 14 grapes. It is medium-light bodied with a lovely warm aroma, and complex tastes of berries and spice. It has good acid and light tannin, with a nice lingering finish. At $10 this is a really lovely wine. All it's missing is a bit of earthiness.
-- Clark