The French estate at the center of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s bitter legal battle narrowly escaped disaster as wildfires swept across Provence in late July, forcing emergency crews to draw water from the property’s own lake to protect the vineyards.
Firefighters deployed helicopters and ground vehicles to defend Chateau Miraval from flames that came dangerously close to the 1,200-acre wine estate, which the former couple purchased together in 2008 for approximately $60 million. On Friday, July 31, orange and red flames illuminated the night sky near Correns, the village where the property is located, while massive gray and brown smoke columns drifted over the vineyard rows during daylight hours.
The fire threat comes as neither actor holds complete ownership of the estate anymore, though both remain entangled in litigation over how Jolie’s portion was transferred to new owners.
European Blazes Force Multiple Evacuations
The Correns Fire represents just one front in a wave of conflagrations spreading through Italy, Spain and France. Actor George Clooney, his wife Amal Clooney, and their nine-year-old twins Alexander and Ella had to flee their residence in the identical French region earlier that week. The winery has thus far avoided the level of danger faced by the Clooneys’ location.
From Wedding Site to Courtroom Battlefield
Pitt, 62, and Jolie, 51, celebrated their wedding at the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur property in 2014, six years after acquiring it. Their 2016 separation set off what would become one of Hollywood’s most contentious divorce proceedings, which concluded officially in 2024.
The vineyard dispute erupted in 2021 after a judge authorized Jolie to transfer her ownership interest to Tenute del Mondo, the wine arm of the Stoli Group. The estate carried a $164 million valuation when that transaction occurred. Pitt launched legal action in 2022, contending that Jolie violated an alleged oral understanding requiring mutual approval before either party could sell. His complaint sought $35 million in damages, asserting the sale damaged winery operations.
Jolie responded with her own countersuit, charging Pitt with pursuing a retaliatory campaign. Court documents revealed she had initially intended to transfer her half directly to Pitt, but negotiations failed after he insisted on a confidentiality provision barring her from discussing abuse allegations publicly. Following her refusal, she completed a $64 million transaction with Yuri Shefler, who leads the Stoli spirits empire.
Court Rulings Favor Pitt’s Claims
The litigation has repeatedly exposed painful details surrounding the couple’s breakup. Jolie’s countersuit publicly disclosed abuse accusations for the first time, focusing on a 2016 incident during a private plane flight. Her filing alleged he “grabbed her by the head and shook her,” “choked one of the children” and “struck another in the face.” She initiated divorce proceedings five days afterward. Pitt has contested these claims, with a spokesperson stating Jolie was distorting and reimagining old events.
A California judge granted Pitt’s motion in late June to depose multiple individuals connected to the Stoli Group, whose staff members his legal team believes hold critical information about the sale. Pitt’s attorneys had attempted to depose Stoli executive Alexey Oliynik in 2025.
The most significant setback for Jolie arrived when an appellate panel determined Pitt could bring claims directly against Shefler. Though a trial-level judge had previously found Shefler functioned only as a passive investor, the appeals court overturned that conclusion, finding he assumed an essential role in designing and executing the acquisition. The ruling highlighted that he personally backed $39 million of the purchase and sent three correspondence pieces to Jolie throughout the process—one expressing gratitude for accepting his proposal and pledging to complete the arrangement despite personal challenges, and another requesting delay of a payment installment due to issues involving Pitt. Justice Gail Feuer determined the correspondence was “far from inconsequential,” demonstrating his hands-on participation in closing the sale.
The ultimate purchase price for Jolie’s interest remains undisclosed.
The vineyard emergency arrives during a challenging period for Pitt. His youngest daughter Vivienne recently petitioned to remove his surname, following other siblings who have created distance from him.
Emergency responders continue protecting the property where the actors once married and which now anchors years of courtroom warfare.