A Los Angeles judge’s December 17 ruling has pierced Angelina Jolie’s claims of attorney-client privilege, compelling her to produce 22 unredacted emails and text messages by mid-January in the ongoing battle over Château Miraval winery. This decision escalates a dispute rooted in the couple’s 2016 separation, transforming a shared dream estate into a multimillion-dollar legal quagmire.
The Estate’s Origins
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie discovered the 1,200-acre Château Miraval in Provence, France, in 2008 during her second pregnancy. The property includes vineyards, olive groves, and a chapel. They leased it initially, then bought it in 2008 through separate companies: Pitt’s Mondo Bongo owned 60 percent, Jolie’s Nouvel 40 percent, with Pitt later transferring 10 percent of his stake to her for 1 euro, equalizing ownership at 50-50. Valued at around $164 million, the estate faced partnership strains from the start.
The Rosé Success Story
In 2013, the couple launched Miraval Rosé with winemaker Marc Perrin’s Famille Perrin. The debut 6,000 bottles sold out in five hours, earning Wine Spectator’s #84 spot on its top 100 wines of the year—the sole rosé. The brand achieved significant commercial success. Pitt invested more than $1 million in renovations, though Jolie later contested his management focus.
The Incident That Fractured Ties
On September 14, 2016, Pitt and Jolie flew from Nice to Los Angeles with their six children. Jolie filed for divorce days later, citing irreconcilable differences. An FBI investigation reviewed her allegations of Pitt’s violent behavior aboard the plane, including grabbing her head, shaking her, punching the ceiling, and threats. Pitt denied the claims. The FBI closed the case without charges in November 2016.
Post-Divorce Ownership Standoff
Despite the filing, they remained co-owners via their companies, unable to sell without mutual consent—or so Pitt maintained. By 2019, legally single, they negotiated a buyout: Pitt to acquire Jolie’s stake. Talks faltered in April 2021 when Pitt conditioned the deal on a broad nondisclosure agreement covering Miraval business and his personal conduct. Court records note Jolie’s lawyer, Laurent Schummer, rejected it multiple times, including a harsher version proposed June 2, 2021.
The Stoli Sale and Lawsuits
Jolie instead sold her Nouvel shares in October 2021 for $67 million to Tenute del Mondo, the wine arm of Luxembourg-based Stoli Group, controlled by Russian billionaire Yuri Shefler. Pitt viewed Stoli as a rival and sued in February 2022 in California and France, alleging breach of a mutual-consent agreement. He sought $35 million in damages and to void the sale. Jolie denied any such pact and countersued for $250 million. The conflict spread to three countries: California under Judge Lia Martin, French legal proceedings in 2022, and Luxembourg courts appointing a receiver in February 2024, restructuring ownership to Pitt at 50 percent, Shefler at 40 percent, and receiver at 10 percent.
The Discovery Clash and Ruling
The fight centered on discovery. Jolie withheld 22 documents as privileged, involving business manager Terry Bird, aides Chloe Dalton and Arminka Helic, and advisers Marjorie Brabet-Friel and James Friel. She argued they aided legal strategy on the sale. Pitt’s team called them routine business talks with image consultants, ineligible for privilege under California law. On December 17, Judge Martin ordered full production within 45 days, rejecting broad privilege and deeming them non-attorney business communications. Jolie’s attorney Paul Murphy called it a violation of privilege law and vowed appeal, framing it as part of Pitt’s control efforts.
Complications and Family Echoes
Stoli Group’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in Texas on November 27, 2024, listed over $100 million in assets and $50-100 million in liabilities, blamed on a cyberattack. Their divorce settled December 31, 2024, with no spousal support, but left Miraval unresolved. The couple’s children—Maddox, 22; Pax, 20; Zahara, 19; Shiloh, 18; Knox and Vivienne, 16—feel ongoing effects; Shiloh dropped Pitt’s surname in 2024.
Trial looms February 1, 2027, after mediation in October 2026. The documents could prove or debunk Pitt’s consent claim, influencing settlement odds. For celebrity partners in ventures, the case underscores risks of ambiguous agreements, potentially exposing strategies in high-stakes unwinding amid personal fallout.
Sources
Motion to Compel Discovery Order. Los Angeles Superior Court, December 17, 2025
Plaintiff’s Second Amended Complaint, Brad Pitt v. Angelina Jolie, California Superior Court, June 21, 2023
Report on September 14, 2016 incident investigation. Federal Bureau of Investigation, November 2016
Decision on Quimicum shareholding and receiver appointment. Luxembourg Court, February 2024
Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Petition, Stoli Group USA LLC. United States Bankruptcy Court Northern District of Texas, November 27, 2024