Wine Terms Starting with H

French term for the foil and wire cork used to enclose the neck of a bottle of sparkling wine.

Translates as "half dry" and refers to a dry wine with a touch of sweetness, a medium dry wine.

Term used for wines that have rough tannins, and high levels of acidity.

Term used to describe wines in which all aspects are in perfect balance: acid, fruit, alcohol and tannins.

Tasting term used to describe wines with high alcohol content and astringent flavors. These types of wines usually go through an aging process to be softened.

A term used to describe a full-bodied wine with a high level of alcohol.

A tasting term indicating full-bodied, full-flavored wines; often used to describe big red wines.

A wine tasting term that describes a wine with too high a tannin content. Such wines are considered unbalanced.

European term used to measure land, which is equivalent to 2.47 acres of land. All French vineyards are measured in hectares.

European term for measuring liquid which, for example, equals 100 liters to 26.4 gallons. Yield is obtained by measuring the number of hectoliters per hectare in. One hectoliter is equivalent to approximately 11 cases 12x750ml) of wine.

A term describing a wine that is overtly satisfying and pleasing, as opposed to more subtle wines.

Herbaceous wines carry herbal notes. A little is pleasant, but in wines that are too herbaceous the fruit notes are lost.

Tasting term for wines that give off the aroma of herbs, such as: sage, eucalyptus, mint and thyme.

In Portugal, primarily in the Alentejo region, the term refers to a homestead, a large or very large (wine) farm estate where the farm residence(s) and the operating business are co-located. Sometimes used interchangeably with quinta. Quintas are typically smaller in size than herdades.

Term for Rhine wines. Usually used in England.

A barrel of wine containing approximately 239 liters. This is equivalent to 63 gallons.

A term describing a simple, straightforward wine with no noticeable defects.

A common trait in sweet white wines, which have a honeyed character.

A term used to refer to wines of the same vintage, which are usually served together at tastings.

A wine tasting term that describes the burning sensation of alcohol or the sensation of heat in the mouth and throat when drinking a wine with a high alcohol content.

Hue describes the actual color of the wine and will depend on the type of wine. Wine comes in all kinds of colors, from deep purple red to gold or silver.

The Huglin Index is a bioclimatic heat index developed by French viticulturist Pierre Huglin in 1978 to assess the suitability of a region for viticulture based on heat accumulation during the growing season. It is particularly useful for determining which grape varieties are best suited to a specific climate.​

Hybrid grapes are varieties that result from the crossbreeding of two or more species within the Vitis genus. Unlike traditional breeding within the same species, predominantly Vitis vinifera (the primary European grapevine species), hybrid grapes involve inter-species combinations. These grapes are sometimes termed "Modern Varieties" and are known for their resilience, showing remarkable resistance to various challenges such as powdery mildew, other fungal diseases, nematodes, and phylloxera—a pest that significantly affected vineyards historically. The robust characteristics of hybrid grapes make them increasingly significant in European grape breeding programs, aiming to produce hardier, disease-resistant vine stocks.

A wine defect that can give rise to aromas of sulfur or rotten eggs.