Sugar in Your Rhone?

WINE TALK
1

Interesting interview with Philippe Guigal here:

https://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2018/04/philippe-guigal-legend-of-the-rhone-ranger

I was curious about his two statements in his answer about how things have changed with the advent of climate change:

If we picked grapes in October, we were picking grapes that were close to 11 percent to 11.5 percent potential alcohol, with the possibility to chaptalize, which was extremely classic in northern Rhône.

And then, speaking of today:

More important are grapes that are around 13 percent potential alcohol. So chaptalization is something that is becoming less used in our region.

“Less used?” Do Northern Rhone producers still chaptalize? Or was he saying, in a mild way, that they don’t do it anymore?

2

It seems to me that he is saying that they do not do it that much any more. (Or perhaps never really do it, but would like to reserve the opportunity to do so should circumstances of a vintage make it a necessary choice).