Book excerpt: Today, many fortified wines are flourishing again, revived by discerning drinkers and modern mixologists all over the world. Once popularly savored before or after dinner, fortified wines—vermouth, sherry, port, madeira, and the like—had fallen out of favor until recent times. But now, in pubs and wine bars, high-end restaurants and homes, these wines are finding their way into innovative cocktails, and they are being appreciated anew for their fine qualities and strong, complex tastes. Strong, Sweet and Dry is the ultimate guide to these freshly rediscovered palate pleasers. In lively style, Becky Sue Epstein explores the latest fortified wine innovations and trends, along with their colorful history, including the merchants, warriors, and kings who helped bring these beverages into being. Featuring a plethora of enticing images, along with anecdotes, facts, and recipes, this is a superb tour through the long history of fortified wines and their global resurgence today.