In years of poor weather in many winemaking countries, including the leading regions of France, when the grapes cannot fully ripen, beet or cane sugar is added to the grape juice before fermentation in order to bring the alcohol level up. The process is called chaptalization and it is important to point out that all of the sugar is used up during fermentation (the yeast converts it to CO₂ and alcohol).

Deutscher Tafelwein, Deutscher Landwein and QbA wines may be chaptalized.

Prädikat wines may not - it is illegal to do so.