Halbtrocken (Germany)
Translating literally as 'half-dry', this term is used for medium dry wines.

Harmonious
A wine that has a perfect balance of fruit, acid and tannins. At this point, it is perfectly ready to drink, and usually so am I (ready to drink that wine).

Harsh
A wine with excessive acidity. The acid accentuates the tannins and increases the drying sensation known as astringency.

Harvest
The process of picking the ripe grapes from the vine and transferring them to the winery.

Hectare
The most commonly used measurement of area in viticulture, the hectare is 10 000 m2, approximately equivalent to 2.5 acres. Yields may be expressed in hectolitres per hectare.

Hectolitre
A measure of volume commonly used when expressing yields; a hectolitre is 100 litres.

Hearty
An adjective for a full-bodied wine with high alcohol content. It often refers to a tannic red wine.

Heavy
The wine is out of balance in favor of the tannins.

Herbaceous
A wine that has a green, vegetable smell. For example, sauvignon blanc is grassy when subtle, herbaceous when overpowering.

Hermitage
Hermitage, pronounced without the ‘h’ (air-mee-tahj), is a wine region in southern France in the Rhône Valley. It’s rich, robust wines are made, primarily, from syrah, Grenache and mourvèdre grapes for the reds and marsanne, rousanne and viognier for the whites.

Hogshead
In Australia this is a 300 litre barrel. Confusingly the term is also used by some when they are referring to the barrique of Bordeaux, a smaller barrel.

Hollow
A wine which lacks flavor and texture.

Honeyed
The smell or taste in wine reminiscent of honey and is characteristic of late-harvest wines affected by "noble rot."

Hybrid
A hybrid grape results from a cross between a Vitis vinifera variety - such as Riesling or Pinot Noir - with an American vine. This is distinct from a crossing.