Cheap French red is usually paint stripper. They're trading on being "French" and thus hoping to hook in people who will think that "French" automatically = better. The best French wines are glorious, but they are also usually also more expensive than an equivalent quality (though different...
That's exactly my approach to wine too...I either like it or I don't. Remembering the label (particularly the winemaker) is a pretty good idea though, since you're more likely to like the wine made by the same label than simply picking a random wine off the shelf...
General stuff - not in...