Lorenzo Mottola - Ste. Michelle Wine Estate
Ste. Michelle Wine Estates is the ‘String’. Our collection of estate wineries are the ‘Pearls.’ We call this our ‘String of Pearls,’ describing a collection of estate wineries whose vineyards produce some of the best wines in the world.
Significantly, it also highlights our company philosophy: We believe that each “pearl’s” luster is best revealed when the vineyard and wine-making decisions are made on site by the people who grow the grapes and make the wine. The Ste. Michelle Wine Estates company is simply the “string,” providing administrative and financial support for these extraordinary wine properties.
Ste. Michelle Wine Estates President and CEO Ted Baseler notes, “With Chateau Ste. Michelle as our first pearl, over the years we have developed or acquired other wineries that meet our high standards of quality and whose wines are distinctive. These wines reflect the place where they are grown.”
From Washington State’s short, warm summers and sparse soil, to the cooler climate and mineral-rich soil of the Willamette Valley to the complex soil and longer, hot summers of the Napa Valley, the terroir of the pearl on our string is as unique as each wine in our portfolio.
Tylor Field is an internationally recognized expert on wine and spirits and winner of the highest honor from the Guild of Sommeliers Education Foundation – the Distinguished Service Award – for his outstanding contributions to wine education and wine service. As Vice President, Wine & Spirits, since 2005, Field has guided Morton’s leadership in developing and providing a diverse world-class selection of fine wines and spirits to complement and enhance the fine dining experience of our guests at Morton’s steakhouses around the world. Field oversees all purchasing, marketing, training and development of Morton’s wine, spirits and beverage programs. Under his leadership, all of Morton’s eligible steakhouses received Wine Spectator’s 2008 and 2009 Award of Excellence, which is given only to restaurants that offer a well-chosen selection of quality producers, along with a thematic match to the menu in both price and style.
Field joined Morton's in 1990 as an assistant manager at Morton’s The Steakhouse in Boston before advancing to the positions of General Manager and Regional Manager. In 1999, he was promoted to Director of Beverage Operations for Morton's, a position he held until becoming Vice President, Wine & Spirits, in 2005. Since joining the company, Mr. Field has been instrumental in his various roles in restaurant operations, while being responsible for opening many new Morton’s steakhouses. Today there are 77 Morton’s The Steakhouse restaurants throughout the continental United States, and in Honolulu, San Juan, Hong Kong, Macau, Mexico City, Singapore, Shanghai and Toronto.
In 2007, in recognition of his accomplishments in advancing wine service and education, Field became just the eighth person ever to receive the Distinguished Service Award from the Guild of Sommeliers Education Foundation, the not-for-profit group of the Court of Master Sommeliers that provides educational programs for wine service professionals and helps them become Master Sommeliers. Field has created innovative programs to enhance Morton's wine service, educate staff and promote wine sales at Morton's steakhouses. Every Morton's steakhouse maintains a wine list with at least 225 selections, and some of Morton's locations feature more than 500 fine selections.
As the national spokesperson for Morton’s Wine & Spirits program, Field has been featured in many print and broadcast media interviews, including The Early Show on CBS and Fox and Friends. Working in partnership with Foster's Wine Estates,Field also assisted in developing the World's Largest Wine Bottle for Morton's, as certified by Guinness Book of World Records in June 2005. He has also been instrumental in developing Morton's Bar 12-21 dining concept.
In Spring 2009, he contributed to Morton’s The Cookbook: 100 Steakhouse Recipes for Every Kitchen, which Field scribed wine, spirits and ale accompaniments to each recipe. Klaus Fritsch, the co-founder and vice chairman of Morton’s, is the lead author of this cookbook as well as the 2006 cookbook, Morton’s Steak Bible.
In October 2010 he conceptualized and hosted an event called “Morton’s and The Mondavi’s, Celebrating a Legendary Blend”. He was able to bring the entire third generation of the famed Mondavi Family together for the first time in their family history, as wine professionals, and had them blend a red wine from all three of their different properties in a 27-liter bottle called “Siamo Insieme”. This bottle was then auctioned at a special dinner at Charles Krug’s Carriage House in St. Helena to help raise $110k for the “Make a Wish” Foundation while being broadcast live via satellite to 50 Morton’s locations nationally.
Field holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from New York University. Field resides in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida with his wife Tammy and their children, Zachary and Shannon.