By Andrew Starke
He may be battling a hip injury ahead of tonight’s (Sep 25) preliminary final against the Bulldogs but the Eel’s Daniel Mortimer has already ensured the family wine business remains in rude health.
Daniel’s father, Bulldogs great Peter Mortimer, has run boutique winery Mortimer Wines for the past 13 years.
Peter and Julie Mortimer and their five sons planted Chestnut Garth Vineyard with chardonnay grapes in 1996, later adding shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, sauvignon blanc and, more recently, merlot.
The Daily Telegraph reports that Parramatta’s late-season bloom has popped the cork on unprecedented sales for the niche Orange-based cellar door.
Keen to toast the rookie five-eighth’s rise, pubs and bottle shops in the Eels heartland have added Mortimers varietals to their wine lists over the past month.
ANZ Stadium officials have ordered 60 cases of sauvignon blanc and chardonnay for tonight’s showdown, where young Mortimer will tackle the club synonymous with his surname.