David Lawrason picks nine French bottles from 2009, the vintage of the century

In France, where the weather is relatively cool and fluctuates drastically from year to year, vintage is a huge factor in determining quality—and a subject of impassioned debate. Torrid heat waves in 2000 and 2003 had wine experts arguing over which vintage should be declared the best of the century. To my mind, both years produced ripe, sometimes soupy wines that age far too quickly; when I see them on wine lists, I avoid them altogether. No, the best French vintage of the century is 2009, and it’s hitting LCBO shelves right now. It was a hot summer, but less extreme than 2000 and 2003, and much longer, lasting until October. The resulting wines have exceptional weight and fruit richness, while maintaining the essential firm structure and elegant flavour signatures of France’s varying grapes and regions. New World devotees who usually find French wines tart, thin and expensive will be pleasantly surprised at the fuller-flavoured reds and more fragrant whites. Here, nine affordable selections from my favourite French vintage.