The Austrian wine "Gemischter Satz" is often translated as "mixed set" in English, and it describes the traditional wine of Vienna, made from multifarious grapevine varieties planted in the Austrian capital's many vineyards. Personally I prefer the interpretation "mixed composition" as the vineyards look down on a city that – perhaps – has been home to more great musical and philosophical contributions to culture than any other.

Whatever anyone's thoughts on this, what is indisputable is that with 612 hectares under vine within the city limits, no other urban environment on the planet can boast as much vitis vinifera greenery as Vienna.

The vineyards of Vienna are so close to the centre of town, in fact, that you can hop on a No. 38 tram and in about half an hour, after alighting at Grinzing, be wandering a path up into the vines, popping into a heuriger or buschenschanck, the traditional cellar doors in this part of the world, looking back upon the city.

In spring time in the northern hemisphere, the heuriger and buschenschanck – some large and quite commercial, others tiny and quaint, but all family run – are pouring the new vintage's wine and spritzers made with the new vintage grüner veltliner and other favourite Viennese things.

It's in these establishments that wines produced from mixed grape vineyards – gemischter satz wines – were traditionally, to use that word again but there is none better, served. But, in a modern wine world and country, of ever more monovarietal wine adoration these wines were held in quite low regard: simple honest drinks, which is what some still can deliciously be thankfully.

Explaining origin

Now I could gush on about gemischter history here, but in order to get things moving I'd refer you to a detailed monograph on the subject by wine writer Alder Yarrow (who sounds like he'd be as at home in Sherwood forest as in the Vienna woods) in edition 40 (2013) of the sumptuous publication, The World of Fine Wine (and you can download every issue if you subscribe to the app).

But – briefly – Herr. Franz Mayer was the fellow who, recognising that something extremely important viniculturally might be lost if his neighbours moved to monovarietalism (among other things), began instilling a sense of pride among them about the rich history of their unique wines. So it was that in 1994 the producer Richard Zahel was the first in the district to label his wine as Wiener Gemischter Satz. Later the flamboyant, but also extremely dedicated, Fritz Wieninger, released a 1999 Nussberg vineyard designated Gemischter Satz, which ensured that both local wine loving consumers and critics paid appropriate attention to the potential of this Viennese original. There is now – since 2013 – a legally defined, Wiener Gemischter Satz designation.

And so to South Australia's Riverland, which it's fair to say doesn't command quite the same spectacular hillside, city vistas as the vineyards of Wien. As I was pondering writing a piece about "field blends" – that is wines made from mixed vineyard plantings which are co-fermented together rather than fermented separately and then blended – I received an email from one Phil Reedman, M.W. (Master of Wine) asking if I'd be interested in tasting a wine he was involved in the creation of: namely the 2015 Antiquarian Rare Field Blend, sourced from old vineyards at Morgan on the Murray.

Not much connection with Gemischter Satz you might think, and as it happens actually there isn't directly. Reedman told me, on responding to my question as to the inspiration behind Antiquarian that it was in fact a white from South Africa's Western Cape that put the idea into his head and that of winegrowers, the Byrne family. Although he says that when he'd tasted Gemischter Satz wines in the past they had "struck a chord".

Similar situations

But the wine that played all the right notes was an Eben Sadie 'T Voetpad 2014 from Swartland, a region that has served traditionally as a source of inexpensive grapes for bulk and fortified wines, much like Australia's hot inland river regions.

'T Voetpad, which means "footpath" in Dutch, is composed of the following grapes: Chenin Blanc, Muscat, Palomino, Semillon and Semillon Gris.

Said Reedman: "What piqued my interest was that the person presenting the wine said this vineyard was ill-regarded and came from an area known for bulk wine: an area analogous climatically to the river. Planted for brandy and sherry production, and as a (wine) country in transition these were no longer preferred varieties. But the wine was – is – sensational. I recognised we had exactly the same situation in Australia with the Byrne Morgan vineyard."

At c.100 years old these Swartland vineyards are, Reedman concedes, considerably older than the almost 40-year-old vines at Morgan. But the same principles apply. Reedman continued: "What's exciting in my mind about this is, if we can develop a market with these wines, and make the consumer feel that the wine is worth the money we're asking, we can change the socioeconomic position in the Riverland. This to me is complimentary to that. We have a decent – and original – resource, lets not bulldoze it."

The (now) cult wines of Eben Sadie command a considerable price on the international market, although are (slightly) more affordable domestically. Personally I find the $59 being requested domestically for the Antiquarian, as engaging and fulfilling as it is, a bit on the steep side: $35 would be more like it. As a comparison the current vintage of Wieninger's Nussberg from old hillside vines in Wien, is about $35 (equivalent) in Austrian retailers. And this is a bottling now with an almost 20-year history.

Byrne Vineyards have another field blend offering called Flavabom, which is the same varietal mix, although not ambient yeast fermented in old oak barrels, which at $25 for the '16 provides a more reasonably priced example of what they're trying to achieve. But the Antiquarian is a serious wine: it is definitely on the right path.

What to drink | composed white wines

Jutta Ambrositsch Gumpoldskirchener Himmelfahrt 2014 (Thermenregion, Austria)Candied peel, a sniff of palm sugar, a riesling-like limey-ness about it: sea-salty (clean) botrytis. Zingy, and salty tasting, some poached yellow stonefruit and kind-of prosciutto mouth-aromas. Spring-water pristine and mouth-watering. (The mix: Neuburger, Rotgipfler, Zierfandler, Welschriesling). 93/100, $42

Antiquarian Rare Field White 2015 (Riverland, SA)Quite exotic peachy, almost apricotty smelling. Candied, slightly crème brûlée-ish, and woody (but not oak-woody). Fruit oaky. Quite delicate and slippery across the tongue before becoming a bit chewy, which is good. Plenty of flavour in here and a burnt orange-sweet bitterness. Excellent weight and depth. This is fun, albeit rather expensive fun. (The mix: Muscadelle, Chenin Blanc, Colombard, Semillon). 93/100, $59

Crittenden Estate OGGI 2015 (Victoria)Tangy, tight, bitter lime-orange skin peel smelling: root veggies and a sniff of (ground) white pepper. Smells like it's going to be chewy – which it is – with waxy, poached brûlée fruit, which is mouth-sucking and deep. There are camphor woody type mouth-aromas and it is tight and grippy to finish. Will be best with another year or two in bottle. (The mix: Fiano, Arneis, Vermentino). 93(94)/100, $36