🍷 Jean-Antoine Chaptal

Jean-Antoine Chaptal (1756–1832) was a French chemist and statesman. He served as interior minister under Napoleon and contributed to the development of industry and science in France. He was born in the south of the country, in Lozère.

In winemaking his name is tied to chaptalisation. This is the addition of sugar to grape must before fermentation. Chaptal described the method in the early 19th century. The idea is that in cold years grapes stay underripe, have little sugar, and the wine turns out weak. The added sugar does not make the wine sweeter: it turns into alcohol during fermentation.

Chaptalisation is not allowed everywhere. In warm regions it is usually banned, while in cooler ones it is permitted within limits. The method is still used today, for example in Burgundy and Germany, although Chaptal himself lived long before modern rules.

So a scientist gave his name to one of the best-known procedures in winemaking.