 Little
Old Winemaker - In the 1960s, Italian Swiss Colony wine producers chose
a sweet little old man (Ludwig Stössel) dressed in an Alpine hat and lederhosen
to be their TV spokesperson for their fine line of quality wines. His favorite
closing phrase was "That little old winemaker, me!" His voice was
dubbed by
Jim Backus.TRIVIA NOTE: Established in 1881 by
Italian Swiss immigrants,
the now defunct Italian Swiss Colony winery, is an Historical Landmark (#621) in Asti, California in Sonoma County. In late 1953, Louis Petri bought Italian
Swiss Colony from National Distillers. In the 1960's, the Italian Swiss Colony
tasting room received more than 10,000 visitors per year, with the ad campaign
"Little old winemaker, me." The Beringer Blass Wine Estates purchased the
Italian Swiss Colony in 1988. Canandaigua Wine Company (CWC) bought ISC in 1990.
Ludwig Stössel
played Otto Shafmeister on the November 2, 1963 episode "That Little Old
Gluemaker, Me!" on the sitcom THE NEW PHIL SILVER SHOW. In August 1967,
Dean Martin recorded "Little Old Wine Drinker Me" on Reprise Records. In
1968, actor Robert Mitchum recorded the song on the album "That Man Robert
Mitchum...Sings."
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