A California appellate court ruled that Yuri Shefler, the Stoli Group billionaire who bought Angelina Jolie’s stake in Château Miraval, can be hauled into state court and deposed by Brad Pitt’s legal team—sharpening the fight ahead of trial.
Brad Pitt’s legal battle over Château Miraval just got sharper—because a California appeals court has now cleared a key path for his lawyers to confront Yuri Shefler under oath.
The win comes in Pitt’s bitter dispute with ex-wife Angelina Jolie over the winery’s future after Jolie sold her 50 percent share of Miraval wines to the Stoli Group. The California Court of Appeals ruled that Shefler can be brought into a state court and deposed by Pitt’s attorneys. rejecting the argument that California courts lacked jurisdiction over him.
At the center of Shefler’s claim was his position that he played no significant role in his company’s $64 million purchase of Jolie’s 50 percent share of wines from Château Miraval. The appellate decision undermined that stance. emphasizing evidence that Shefler personally guaranteed $39 million of his own money to finance Jolie’s installment payments.
The court also pointed to what it viewed as Shefler’s deliberate use of California jurisdiction. In its unanimous ruling on June 24. the court said it defied credulity to believe a sophisticated businessman would risk nearly $40 million on a transaction he knew nothing about and had no involvement in.
Jolie’s sale had already sparked anger from Pitt. He was initially interested in purchasing Jolie’s share in 2021, but talks broke down. That July, a California judge cleared the way for Jolie to sell her stake. Pitt was furious when he learned who the buyer was.
An insider described Jolie’s move as “spiteful. ” saying Jolie knew Pitt didn’t want her share sold to Shefler and that Jolie had agreed with Pitt to give him first right of refusal—before selling the stake behind his back. The insider added that the decision appeared to be payback after the couple’s lengthy custody battle over their six children.
Pitt’s fight escalated beyond the courtroom as well. The legal war began after Jolie’s blockbuster sale to the Stoli Group, with Pitt launching legal offensives in both California and France to unravel how the deal was handled.
Correspondence described in the case adds a personal touch to the conflict. Shefler told Jolie that “Miraval is safe with me. ” and thanked her for her “trust in me and my company.” He also wrote—apparently referencing Pitt—that he “would also like to thank you for your willingness to assist in resolving potential issues with the remaining shareholders of the company.”.
In the same communications, Shefler characterized the sale as a “unique transaction, and in certain respects, it is not as straightforward as we would all like it to be.”
While Jolie tried to shut the fight down, it didn’t go smoothly. In 2024, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge denied Jolie’s three attempts to have the case dismissed, clearing the way for the winery war to move toward trial.
Pitt has also faced setbacks along the way. In May, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled that he could not compel Jolie to hand over a cache of private emails tied to their dispute, finding he had “not met the burden” to override her attorney-client privilege.
The stakes are enormous. The case involving the winery—now estimated to be worth about $164 million—is still set to go to trial on February 1, 2027. A mediation session was ordered for October.
For Pitt, this appellate ruling changes the tempo: the next questions aren’t just about what happened at Château Miraval, but about what Shefler knew, when he knew it, and what role—if any—he believes he truly played.
Brad Pitt Angelina Jolie Yuri Shefler Stoli Group Château Miraval Miraval winery legal battle deposition California Court of Appeals June 24 ruling mediation October trial February 1 2027