Normally, the rooftop at Tavern 29 is reserved for after work Happy Hours or the rowdy outdoor weekend brunch in seasonal weather. Thursday night however, dozens of guests somehow dodged the threat of rainfall and took shelter in the company of some popped bottles of wine and small plates of Spanish inspired fare. In celebration of National Verdejo Day, wines from Spain’s Rueda region were on full display to the thirsty masses, replete with commemorative tasting glasses to take home as a memento. And for two and a half hours, guests sipped on heavy handed pours of some crisp and refreshing white wine varietals with plenty of other activity to keep the jam packed rooftop folk entertained throughout the evening.

Trays of freshly sliced charcuterie, cheeses and crostinis awaited the guests filing up the two sets of stairs leading to the Tavern 29 rooftop, bypassing many of the folks forced to celebrate happy hour indoors as a result of the private event. Meanwhile, the staff walked around with wooden trays displaying a variety of oversized pork, beef, veggie and seafood sliders delivered to the grabbing hands of the many attendees. Aside from imbibing and indulging in the tasty plates of food, guests were treated to games of corn hole and a balloon popping contest which kept the mood light and spirits high as the evening progressed.

At the end of the day though, our focus never shifted from the tasty wines being poured by the uber-friendly team on hand. The sweet “Maques de Riscal Verdejo 2013″ with its smooth finish was an immediate hit with our team. Hints of ripe fruit prevailed throughout each tasty sip and the wine was remarkably refreshing. Mere steps away the “Isabelino Verdejo-Viura 2013″ was equally as crisp with peachy notes and a citrusy finish. The key here though was the aroma which literally had us yearning for summertime. Our favorite wine of the evening though came from the “Melior Verdejo 2013,” a really tasty balanced wine with a flowery nose, light on the taste and a smooth, rich finish. We made repeat trips back specifically for this wine- which, best of all, is priced under $10 in most retail shops.

As interest continues to build domestically for Spanish wines especially from the dry Rueda region, the well attended event on Thursday night came as no surprise. Though the rain came down fairly hard during portions of the evening, the Tavern 29 team was quick to react and pulled the rooftop over our heads quickly.  The delicious and seasonal array of wines on hand meanwhile were seemingly each better than their predecessors even though this small selection was but a microcosm of the innumerable variety of wines being produced in the region. Though this event was taking place in Manhattan, there were similar celebrations of National Verdejo Day occurring simultaneously in Miami, Los Angeles and Chicago- each equally as festive and undeniably as tasty.