Growing up in Middletown, James Foley Jr. spent his high school years earning the rank of Eagle Scout and working at the Clam Hut in Highlands.
James Foley, Jr.
Scouting honed his attention to detail and his dedication to hard work and high standards. The Clam Hut ignited his passion for food, which led him to culinary school at Johnson & Wales, then to California, where he fell in love with wine—and in 2008 persuaded his father, James Sr., to create a high-end, limited-production, wine-making company.
“I was peacefully retired when my son convinced me I should be in the wine business,” says Jim Sr. with a laugh.
James Foley, Sr.
They called it Séamus Wines (Séamus being Irish for James). Instead of rooting themselves in one location and growing their own grapes there, the Foleys, who both go by Jim, decided to scout individual vineyards around the state to buy the best grapes they could find.
At the recent San Francisco Chronicle 2016 Wine Competition—with 7,100 entries, the largest competition of American wines in the world—all eight Séamus entries medaled. The haul included one gold, four silvers, two bronzes—and one double gold, the highest honor, for their 2014 Sonoma County pinot noir Debutante Rosé.
Until now, Séamus wines have been available only in California, Colorado, Georgia, Alabama and Louisiana. But the Foleys recently signed a deal with Shore Point Distributing in Freehold to ship Séamus to restaurants and shops in Monmouth, Ocean, Middlesex, Mercer, Somerset, Hunterdon, Warren and Burlington counties.
“We’re thrilled that our wines will now be available in our home state,” says Jim Jr., who oversees grape acquisition and wine making in San Francisco and Sonoma County, while his father runs the business side from his home base in Marietta, Georgia.
Locations include Ama Ristorante in Sea Bright, Rumson Wine & Spirits in Rumson and Lush Wines in Asbury Park. The wines, which retail for $28 to $88 per bottle, can also be purchased online at savor.seamuswines.com
The Jerseyness of Séamus Wines is on the bottle rather than in it. Specifically, on the label on the back.
“Our love for New Jersey is exhibited in one of our wines, Pearl Pinot Gris,” says Jim Sr. “The name Pearl refers to Keyport, which due to its oyster beds was the gateway to the Jersey Shore.
“Each year, the back label of our bottle reflects a different New Jersey scene,” he continues. “Illustrations have included the Twin Lights in Highlands, a drawing of the Seaside Heights roller coaster in the ocean after Hurricane Sandy, the iconic Asbury Park mural of smiling Tillie the Clown and a rendering of the Clam Hut restaurant.”
Jim Jr. explains the Séamus philosophy on the company website:
“Because our winery is small, we live out our passion for creating superior wines by literally hand selecting hard-to-find vineyards for our grapes. Being able to source exactly the fruit we want for each varietal allows us the control we need to provide the most select, delicious, luxury wines possible.”