Winery boss facing charges for giving Crimean wine to Berlusconi and Putin

[HigherGround]

Winery boss facing charges for giving Crimean wine to Berlusconi and Putin

The winery director reportedly uncorked a 240-year-old bottle for the former Italian prime minister

PUBLISHED : Friday, 18 September, 2015, 8:07pm
UPDATED : Friday, 18 September, 2015, 8:07pm

Associated Press in Moscow

Russian President Vladimir Putin visits the state-owned Massandra winery in Yalta, Crimea. Photo: AP

Ukrainian prosecutors were reportedly preparing charges against the director of a winery in Russian-occupied Crimea for uncorking a 240-year-old bottle for Russian President Vladimir Putin and former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi.

Putin and his old friend Berlusconi spent last weekend in Crimea, touring ancient ruins and visiting the peninsula’s prized Massandra winery.

Massandra was Ukrainian government property before being nationalised by Russia, following its annexation of Crimea in 2014. It has rare wine and sherry dating back more than 200 years in its collection; one bottle fetched nearly £32,000 (HK$388,000) in 2001.

Ukrainian media on Friday quoted Ukrainian prosecutors responsible for Crimea as saying they were preparing to file embezzlement charges against the winery’s director, who opened the valuable bottle for Berlusconi.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi visit the Khan's Palace in the town of Bakhchisarai, Crimea. Photo: AP

When the winery was Ukrainian property, two separate presidential decrees were required to approve the sale of vintage wine from its collection. That means that under Ukrainian law, giving a bottle as a gift without Ukrainian presidential permission would amount to theft. The charges, however, would be moot since Russia currently has full control over Crimea.

Russian television last week showed Berlusconi carefully examining dust-covered bottles of wine while Putin listened to the winery director giving them a tour. Later on, Berlusconi brought over a bottle to show to the party, and the director said: “The year 189.”

“Is it possible to drink?” Berlusconi asked in English. The director said “yes.”

The Kiev-based prosecutor’s office for Crimea was unavailable for comment on Friday. Massandra director Yanina Pavlenko, who gave the tour last week, said she showed the rare wines to Putin and Berlusconi but declined to comment on whether any wine was drunk during the visit.