Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s French wine estate is under fresh pressure as wildfires sweep through the surrounding area, adding a new problem to the former couple’s ongoing legal fight over the property.
Château Miraval has been tied up in a lengthy court battle ever since the end of Pitt and Jolie’s relationship.
The pair purchased the vast Provence estate in 2008 and went on to marry there in 2014. Two years later, Jolie filed for divorce. While the divorce itself has been resolved, the dispute involving the winery has continued.
A major point of contention is Jolie’s sale of her interest in the business to Tenute del Mondo, the wine arm linked to Yuri Shefler’s Stoli Group.
Pitt has argued that they had an understanding that neither party could sell without the other’s consent. Jolie has disputed that claim and maintains no such agreement was in place.
That long-running legal saga is now unfolding against a more urgent backdrop, with wildfires near the village of Correns reportedly advancing close to Château Miraval. Thick smoke has allegedly been seen beyond the estate’s vineyards and nearby land.
According to TMZ, emergency crews have prevented the fire from reaching the property so far, using helicopters and trucks as part of the response.
Reports also say firefighters have used water from the winery’s private lake as they work to control the flames. Photos from the area showed towering smoke clouds, while other footage captured the orange-red glow of the fire after dark.
The blaze is part of a broader wildfire crisis affecting parts of Europe, including France, Spain, Italy and Greece. France is currently experiencing one of its worst wildfire seasons in 20 years, with the 2026 season seeing wildfires burn approximately 115,000 hectares across the country. Climate change has contributed to the severity, with record-breaking heatwaves in June 2026 fueling the early and intense fire season.
George and Amal Clooney were also reportedly affected, leaving their home in nearby Brignoles with their nine-year-old twins, Alexander and Ella.
In a letter to the town’s mayor, George wrote: “Dear Didier, At this point we have no idea whether our beautiful home makes it through this terrible moment.”
He continued: “As we evacuate Brignoles we want to emphasise 2 things, first we hope you and the people of our city are safe and second that Amal and i are committed to making sure that whatever happens to our village, we are part of this community and we’ll be part of making it whole.”
The letter ended: “We love Brignoles and our friends who live there.”
Separately, the legal battle over Miraval appears set to continue with increasing stakes. The property, which the pair purchased in 2008 for $28.4 million, is now estimated to be worth approximately $164 million due to the successful commercial operation of its rosé vineyard. Jolie’s lawyers have countersued, calling the litigation a “vindictive war” and linking the dispute to allegations of domestic abuse.
The case is scheduled for trial on February 1, 2027, though Jolie has requested a postponement to later in the year, with some sources indicating a potential August 2027 trial date. Recent court developments have seen Pitt win key discovery rulings, including the ability to compel depositions from members of the Stoli Group. In June 2026, a California Superior Court granted Pitt’s motion to question representatives of the spirits company, allowing his legal team to depose key business associates involved in the winery sale.
At the centre of that case will be the question of whether Jolie’s sale of her half of Miraval violated an agreement with Pitt. Legal action could also lead to Shefler and other Stoli figures being questioned over the way the deal was carried out. The dispute has also expanded to include separate litigation in Luxembourg, where Pitt’s entity Mondo Bongo challenged a 2013 share transfer that had given Jolie equal ownership stake in the property.