Though neither are the darlings of the European political establishment, Russian Premier Vladimir Putin and former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi seem to enjoy each other's company quite a bit.

But an innocent wine tour between friends is set to result in charges being brought against Crimea's renowned Massandra winery, after it has emerged the pair indulged in a 240-year-old bottle worth €79,500.

Berlusconi and Putin spent last weekend on the recently-annexed peninsula touring ancient ruins, before visiting Massandra, which had been owned by the Ukranian government prior to Crimea's annexation.

But now Ukranian prosecutors are preparing charges against the winery for opening the bottle of 1775 Jeres de la Frontera upon a request from Berlusconi to sample some of Massandra's wine.

The winery's new pro-Russian director Yanina Pavlenko is now set to face embezzlement charges for 'seizing government assets.'

"This is one of the five bottles that constitute not only Massandra's or Crimea's heritage, but the heritage of all Ukrainian people,'' said Nazar Kholodnytsky, first deputy prosecutor for Crimea to the Associated Press.

"The funds went to the state coffers and supported the development of Massandra and wine-making in Crimea," he added.

Ms Pavlenko is already wanted in Ukraine for treason after voting for Crimea's annexation.