Wine Glossary

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Glossary Page H

Hard
A tasting term for an unpleasant wine that contains too much tannin. Hard wines often take a long time to mature.

Haze
A cloudy appearance in a wine.

Heater
Using a heater that has been specially designed for home winemaking, will ensure that a correct constant temperature is maintained at all times, ensuring that the best results are obtained.

Hogshead
In Australia this is a 300 litre barrel. Confusingly it is also used when referring to a smaller barrel known as the barrique of Bordeaux.

Hollow
A tasting term that describes a wine which lacks flavour and texture, often through the midpalate.

Hydrometer
An aid to measure the specific gravity (liquid thickness or viscosity) at various stages of the winemaking process. It is a glass instrument that floats in the must or wine and gives readings of sugar content. Generally, the initial sugar content is measured and other readings are taken during the progress of fermentation until completion. See Wine Making Equipment for more information.

Hydrometer Jar
The jar in which a hydrometer is floated that allows a reading to be taken. See Wine Making Equipment for more details.