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Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie used to be the ‘It’ couple of Hollywood, drawing attention wherever they went. Poised to be a loving and lifelong marriage, things took a turn for worse when their infamous airplane incident happened and everything fell apart. They soon went their separate way and thus began a legal battle that has been continuing till now, over one thing or the other.
While their children remain one of the main reasons for their lengthy court battles, another significant issue has been building up for ages, and seems there is no conclusion in sight: Château Miraval. Château Miraval is the old winery located in France that the couple purchased in 2008. And now, the 1,200-acre estate is proving to be a major legal dispute between the two exes.
What started as a business conflict has now evolved into a court squabble on an international level. As the two famous exes continue their battle in the court, here is all you need to know about Château Miraval and why Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are fighting over it.
Château Miraval: When Did Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie Purchase their French Winery?
Brad PittandAngelina Jolieinvested in the French winery in 2008, purchasing a controlling stake in the sprawling property that serves as a retreat for the couple and their six kids. They even hosted their wedding at the place in 2014. However, since 2021, the 1,200-acre place has become a leading point of contention between the two.
Having signed a long-term lease for the property, they reportedly paid over $60 million for the place. Sitting along an ancient Roman road and containing multiple 17th-century structures, the place is immensely beautiful containing olive groves, pine forests, a private lake, a vineyard, and more. Reportedly worth $500 million today, it serves as nothing short of the perfect escape from the glitz and glamour of the film industry (viaHello Magazine).
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The chateau, just as grand as the rest of the property, contains 35 rooms in the main house. The couple invested a lot in the house, which now reportedly contains a spa, gym, indoor and outdoor pools, video game room, home theatre, helicopter pad, and more. Additionally, the couple launched Miraval wines in 2013, to maintain the estate’s wine-growing tradition (viaPEOPLE).
What Made Château Miraval a Legal Battle Between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie?
The whole issue around the old French winery started when Angelina Jolie apparently sold her stake in the property to a third party, Tenute del Mondo, the wine division of Stoli Group. In a case filed by Brad Pitt, who sued his ex, claimed that they had previously agreed not to make any sales of their share without getting a prior agreement from each other.
This case was filed on August 17, 2025, and Pitt claimed that his ex, a renowned human-right activist had sold her stake to a Russian oligarch the name of Yuri Shefler via invalid transfers, which harms the Miraval wine brand given the Russian-Ukraine issue. This led to Jolie’s former firm filing a cross-complain worth $250 million claiming that theBullet Trainstar wanted to control the company as a payback for his divorce with Jolie and the resulting child-custody battle, also linking his alleged abusive acts to drinking.
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Moreover, Jolie did not hold back but in October 2022 filed a cross-complaint herself revealing the alleged abuse that Pitt committed which also involved their kids (viaVulture). Since then, things have gotten dirtier and more complex. Jolie’s former investment company that was bought out by Shefler, Nouvel, too jumped in and accused Pitt andco-conspiratorsof trying to control Château Miraval bystrippingandlootingits assets. Nouvel sought over $35 million in damages, as per the documents obtained byCNN.
Brad Pitt Claims Angelina Jolie Violated Their Agreement after Selling Her Stake in the French Winery
According to the lawsuit filed by Brad Pitt, when he and his ex-wife purchased Château Miraval, they had intended to make it a home and that they would never sell their stakes without the permission of the other. However, since Angelina Jolie sold her stakes without consulting with Pitt, the actor alleged she had violated their agreement.
Furthermore, Miraval has become a passion for Pitt, who has turned it into a multimillion-dollar global business. Having invested so much time in the brand’s success, Pitt claimed in his lawsuit that Joliecontributed nothing to Miraval’s success. Rather she ended up carrying out an ‘unlawful’ secret dealing that will harm the brand he has worked so hard to build as Shefler has alleged links with the Russian president Vladimir Putin.
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Moreover, the actor’s lawsuit claims that the Tenute del Mondo is ahostile third-party competitorthat wants to take control of Miraval and that the sale is not even valid. In another part of his filings, the actor claimed that Shefler, who has beendesignated as an oligarch in the Russian Federationby the US Treasury Department,has launched a hostile takeover of the wine business, destabilizing Miraval’s operations and seeking access to Miraval’s confidential and proprietary information for the benefit of his competing enterprise.
Having faced repetitive threats and retributive actions against him and the business by Shefler, Pitt states that the company even offered €60 million for the winery as well as a private jet for him (via Vulture). Since finding out about the deal, the actor has thus been asking for it to be acknowledged as unlawful and nullified. However, this legal battle has only gotten personal with the passing of time. In April 2024, Jolie alleged that Pitt would not allow her to sell off her shares in the winery if she did not sign a more onerous and expansive Non-Disclosure Agreement about their relationship (viaPEOPLE).
Recent Developments in the Château Miraval Legal Battle between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie
After nearly two years of feud over their Château Miraval estate and winery, their heated debate made its way to the court. Back in April, Angelina Jolie’s lawyers accusedBrad Pitt of making her sign an intrusive NDA and refusing to purchase Jolie’s stakesin the winery if she did not do so. As per a statement made by Jolie’s legal team toTODAY.com, the actress’ legal team revealed that they had filed a motion asking the court to compel Pitt to produce evidence, to move the case forward after delays.
In May, a judge ruled that theEternalsstar must produce over eight years’ worth of NDAs to prove her claims. This was considered asignificant blow to the credibilityof the actress’ claim and astrong statement challenging them to match their rhetoric with actual facts, which they consistently have been not been able to do(viaPEOPLE). And earlier in November, theTroystar seemed to have secured another little victory against his former partner.
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As perUS Weekly, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled in favor of this legal battle heading to trial and that Brad Pitt’s claims about his ex were allowed to proceed further. The judge further acknowledged that there was an ‘implied’ contract between the two parties regarding their shares while Jolie’s lawyer stated to the outlet thatMr. Pitt must now actually prove his caseafter previously having allegedlyrejected, in writing, the very contract he now claims he had with Angelina.
And now, just days after on the 25 of November, another ruling has come that is a win for Jolie. A judge ruled that theWolfsstar must disclose the documents that Jolie’s lawyers say will prove Pitt’scommunications concerning abuse, lies to authorities, and years of cover-up.While communications between him and his attorneys or therapists are excluded from this, the actor must reveal other written communications including emails and texts.
Pitt’s lawyers had previously objected to this motion and called itintrusive, but the judge has ruled against him. In response to the recent ruling, one of Jolie’s lawyers, Paul Murphy stated toPEOPLEthat these crucial documents serve as crucial pieces of evidence and thatAngelina will defend herself in court by presenting the evidence necessary to demonstrate that Pitt’s allegations are demonstrably falseif he fails to comply. He also added,
But I want to again emphasize that Angelina never wanted any of this. She never pressed charges, she left all their properties, and she is the one who tried to sell him the business in the first place. To this day, Mr. Pitt has never been held accountable for his actions and has at all times controlled Miraval and the winery, yet he still demands more. She wants this to end, the children want this to end, and Mr. Pitt should focus on healing their family, not pursuing lawsuits.
The legal dispute over the French winery, initiated by Brad Pitt, does seem it will possibly go on for another few years. The French winery, once a symbol of their unity, has become a focal point for contentious litigation, with allegations ranging from business misconduct to personal abuse. While Jolie’s recent victory is a big win for the actress, this development underscores the case’s escalating intensity and the stakes for them.
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Meanwhile, their divorce settlement is still continuing at a similar pace as the Château Miraval dispute, even after eight years of their breakup. A source close to the couple revealed thatboth sides are still talking, but it’s not done yet(viaPEOPLE). This is proof enough to suggest that their divorce negotiations and their winery dispute will take considerable time to resolve. For now, even after years of separation, the former couple’s professional and personal lives remain deeply entwined, displaying the challenging connection of business, family, and the fallout from a once-iconic relationship.
Maria Sultan
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2703
Maria Sultan is a dedicated News Content Writer at FandomWire. With over five years of professional experience and hundreds of published articles, she brings a wealth of expertise to her coverage of Marvel, K-dramas, and the latest on streaming platforms.Her work is not just about reporting news; it’s about providing insightful perspectives on the entertainment trends that matter most.
