Meaning & use
Dutch champagne
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountableinformalhumorous
A humorous or informal name for a cheap sparkling drink, especially beer or cider, that is not real champagne.
Grammar: Uncountable: you say 'some Dutch champagne', not 'a Dutch champagne'.
Patterns
- drink Dutch champagne
- a glass of Dutch champagne
They couldn't afford wine, so they toasted with Dutch champagne.
After the match the fans celebrated with what they jokingly called Dutch champagne.
noununcountabletechnical
A sparkling wine produced in the Netherlands in the traditional bottle-fermented style.
Grammar: Uncountable when referring to the drink in general, but countable for a particular bottle or brand.
Patterns
- produce Dutch champagne
- a bottle of Dutch champagne
The winery began producing Dutch champagne using the classic method.
Dutch champagne is made from grapes grown in the south of the country.
Common combinations
- a glass of Dutch champagne
- He poured her a glass of Dutch champagne.
- drink Dutch champagne
- They drank Dutch champagne at the party.
- cheap Dutch champagne
- The bar served cheap Dutch champagne at closing time.
- toast with Dutch champagne
- The team toasted with Dutch champagne after the win.
Synonyms and how they differ
- sparkling wine
- The neutral, correct term for bubbly wine that is not from Champagne; 'Dutch champagne' is jokey or imprecise.
- fizz
- Informal British word for any sparkling wine; similar tone but not tied to the Netherlands.
Word family
- champagne noun
- Sparkling wine from the Champagne region of France.
Commonly confused: Dutch champagne or champagne?
Dutch champagne vs champagne
Real champagne comes only from the Champagne region of France; 'Dutch champagne' is either a joke or a local sparkling wine.
Practice
In everyday speech, someone who offers you 'Dutch champagne' is most likely offering:
Choose one answer.
'Dutch champagne' is an informal, humorous label for cheap bubbly or beer. It does not mean genuine French champagne, and it is certainly not coffee or water.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Dutch champagne”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.