Sherry, port and vermouth – refreshing and unexpected summer long drinks | Fiona Beckett on drinks

Those of you who regularly read this article may recall that I was somewhat dismissive recently of pouring fortified wines, such as sherry, at this time of the year. year. Your friends won't thank you for it, I suggested; drink white wine instead! Since then, however, I've come across a dazzling - and cheap - fino (see today's pick) that reminded me why they might.

So maybe I - we - should pander to our friends and try to get them into fortified wines. Most can be served for a long time and have the flavor intensity to withstand a degree of dilution, so they are an ideal low-alcohol option. Plus, since all you have to do is pour into a blender, they're easy to make. While I like a good – I mean fresh – fino or manzanilla, I also like a rebujito, which is sherry mixed with Seven Up or Sprite. (Not convinced? Try it!)

Wearing is certainly more of a challenge. (I sometimes wonder how a company survives when the vast majority of its production is purchased in the run up to Christmas.) However, white port is slowly becoming more popular and makes a great tonic-topped long drink. I'd go for one of the lighter styles - Taylor's and Croft both make one.

The other brilliant summer drink is vermouth, which is not only fortified but flavored with herbs and other botanicals. You might know it best in cocktails, like martinis and negronis, but it's super refreshing on its own or with a mixer — and cheap. Most supermarkets have a private label version for around £5-6 for a liter bottle - although the quality obviously doesn't compare to the best vermouths. Morrisons, for example, sells its Vermouth Rosso - which I think is the best in its range - for £6.

What you need to know, though, is is how to tell the difference between styles of white vermouth. Extra dry isn't as dry as it looks, as you'll find if you buy today's particularly delicious Cocchi vermouth, but bianco or blanco is really, really sweet. I would serve the first with tonic and lemon, and the second with soda and garnished with a slice of orange.

By the way, vermouth, like fino and manzanilla, doesn't keep well once opened, so you need to find room in the fridge and drink it within a few weeks. And put lots of ice cubes in your glass, not just a tiny cube.

Five fortified wines to sip this summer

Fino from company 6, £95 The Wine Society,...