Chaptalisation imho is the scourge of the wine industry and much practiced, particularly in the past in the production of champagne.
Whilst I agree with the general drift about unnecessarily high alcohol levels in some wines, having worked briefly in the wine industry I have to slightly take issue with you on chaptalisation. Wine growing is a precarious business at the best of times, and chaptalisation can be necessary
in extremis because of the vagaries of the French climate, in much the same way as Australian wine growers are allowed to irrigate their vines (which is strictly forbidden in France). It is just a function of the climate.
If, for example, it starts throwing it down just before the grape harvest starts, and you are bringing in grapes with a sugar content at 9,5%, you'd end up with a wine that was unsaleable. Result = disaster for the wine grower. By adding cane sugar to bring it up to 11,5%, the problem can be remedied. Any good winemaker will only chaptalise very reluctantly as it is not the way to produce an excellent end product.
It's use is supposed to be strictly enforced, and in the french market limited to (IIRC) 2%. I agree with you that it's use when it's not strictly necessary should be stamped out.
