Firefighters are continuing to defend a sprawling French vineyard from encroaching wildfires in late July, using water drawn from a private lake on the property itself to hold back flames that have sent smoke billowing over the surrounding Provence hills.
The estate under threat is Chateau Miraval, a 1,200-acre wine property that actors Brad Pitt, 62, and Angelina Jolie, 51, bought together in 2008 and where they later wed — now the centerpiece of one of Hollywood’s nastiest legal feuds.
Emergency crews have deployed helicopters and ground vehicles to combat what’s been dubbed the Correns Fire, named for the village housing the vineyard. Photographs show massive gray plumes rising above the vines, and on the night of Friday, July 31, orange flames could be seen glowing against the darkness near Correns.
So far, the response has worked. The fire has not reached the estate, though smoke and flames have come dangerously near.
Broader Conflagrations Across Europe
The Correns blaze is part of a wider outbreak of fires across southern Europe, with additional blazes consuming territory in Spain and Italy. Actor George Clooney, his wife Amal Clooney, and their nine-year-old twins, Alexander and Ella, were evacuated from their residence in the same French region earlier in the week. Miraval, by contrast, has thus far escaped serious damage.
How the Battle Over the Vineyard Began
Pitt and Jolie acquired the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur estate for an estimated $60 million. They celebrated their 2014 wedding there, but split in 2016, finalizing the divorce in 2024. The winery became a flashpoint almost immediately.
In 2021, Jolie secured judicial approval to offload her portion to Tenute del Mondo, the wine arm of the Stoli Group. The vineyard carried a valuation of $164 million at that point. Pitt responded by filing suit in 2022, asserting she had violated an oral understanding that neither would divest without the other’s blessing. He sought $35 million in compensation, arguing her move undermined the winery’s functioning.
Jolie countersued, accusing Pitt of mounting a retaliatory offensive. Court documents indicate she initially intended to transfer her half directly to Pitt, but negotiations broke down when he insisted on a confidentiality provision barring her from publicly discussing abuse claims. She declined and instead closed a $64 million transaction with Yuri Shefler, the spirits tycoon who controls Stoli.
Neither party retains full ownership of the property now, yet the litigation drags on.
Court Rulings Favor Pitt
The lawsuit has repeatedly dredged up painful aspects of the couple’s breakup. Jolie’s countersuit offered the first detailed account of abuse allegations against Pitt involving her and their children, focusing on a 2016 confrontation aboard a private jet. She 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 rejected the accusations, and a spokesperson said Jolie was distorting a years-old episode.
In late June, a California judge granted Pitt’s motion to depose multiple individuals connected to the Stoli Group, whose staff his lawyers say hold key information about the sale. Pitt’s team had sought in 2025 to question Stoli executive Alexey Oliynik.
The more significant setback for Jolie arrived when a state appellate panel determined Pitt could proceed against Shefler himself. A trial-level judge had previously found Shefler was simply a passive backer, but the appeals court overturned that conclusion, ruling he took an active part in negotiating and closing the purchase. The panel observed he personally backed $39 million of the agreement and dispatched three letters to Jolie throughout the process — one expressing gratitude for her acceptance of his bid and pledging to finalize the arrangement despite personal obstacles, another requesting she delay an installment due to complications involving Pitt. Justice Gail Feuer noted the communications were “far from inconsequential,” demonstrating his hands-on participation in securing the deal’s completion.
The ultimate purchase price for Jolie’s interest remains undisclosed.
The emergency at Miraval arrives during a painful period for Pitt beyond the courtroom. His youngest daughter, Vivienne, recently petitioned to remove his surname, following the lead of other siblings who have created distance from him.
Meanwhile, emergency responders continue protecting the vineyard that sparked the entire conflict — the venue where the couple exchanged vows, and the asset they’ve spent years battling to possess.
