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Chaptalization

February 7th, 2008 Posted in Chaptalization, Winemaking

Sometimes when grapes are grown in cooler climates, the sugar level in the grapes will not be high enough to produce enough alcohol to make good wine. In this case, although it is usually legally controlled, a process called chaptalization is used. Chaptalization is named after Comte Chaptal, the Napoleonic Minister who invented it. In this process, sugar is added to the must, either before fermentation or during it. This additional sugar will convert to alcohol the same way the natural sugar inside the grapes will, so the alcohol level will be slightly increased. Chaptalization, when done in moderation, can produce an excellent wine. If it used too much, however, the wine will taste too strong, as the alcohol level will be out of balance in comparison to the amount of fruit in the flavor.

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