Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie's French winery battle back in court: What to know

Angelina Jolie sold her ownership in the French winery with Brad Pitt in 2021, igniting a legal battle over Château Miraval

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie battle over French vineyard

Legal experts May Mailman and Bryan Rotella weigh in on the 'Brangelina' feud over the sale of French vineyard stakes involving a Russian oligarch on 'Fox News @ Night.'

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are still fighting over their French winery.

The dispute returns to court this week to tackle technical aspects as they fight over ownership of Château Miraval.

Pitt and Jolie were married two years before the actress filed for divorce in 2016, effectively ending their 12-year relationship. The two became legally single in 2019.

The former couple bought a controlling stake in Château Miraval in 2008 and spent time at the home throughout their relationship.

ANGELINA JOLIE'S FORMER COMPANY CLAIMS BRAD PITT ‘MASTERMINDED’ PLAN TO ‘LOOT’ AND STRIP WINE BUSINESS: DOCS

Angelina Jole and Brad Pitt at premiere of the film "By the Sea"

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have been locked in a legal battle over the ownership of their French winery since 2022. (Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic via Getty)

Jolie attempted to sell her company, Nouvel, to Tenute Del Mondo, a subsidiary of the Stoli group, in 2021, effectively transferring her 50% ownership interest in Miraval. Pitt has fought this sale, claiming the move breached a contract between the two.

"Jolie pursued and then consummated the purported sale in secret, purposely keeping Pitt in the dark, and knowingly violating Pitt's contractual rights," according to court documents previously obtained by Fox News Digital.

Pitt is suing Jolie for breach of an implied-in-fact contract; breach of quasi-contract, pleaded in the alternative; breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing; abuse of rights under Article 6-1 of the Luxembourg Civil Code; tortious interference with contractual relations; tortious interference with prospective business relations; and constructive trust.

The actor is seeking damages "in an amount to be proven at trial" and has requested Jolie's sale be declared "null and void."

Brad Pitt suing Angelina Jolie over her sale of stake in winery

Angelina Jolie surrendered her 50% stake in their Château Miraval winery in France when she sold Nouvel to the Stoli group in 2021. (Michel Gangne/AFP )

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt look stoic on red carpet together

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie bought Miraval together while married. (Getty Images)

Pitt also accused the company Jolie sold to of launching a "hostile takeover" of Miraval.

"Since claiming to acquire Jolie’s interest in Miraval, Shefler has launched a hostile takeover of the wine business, destabilizing Miraval’s operations and seeking access to Miraval’s confidential and proprietary information for the benefit of his competing enterprise," the court documents claimed. 

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Aerial view of Chateau Miraval

Brad Pitt has accused the company Jolie sold to of launching a "hostile takeover" of Miraval. (Michel Gangne)

Jolie's company, Nouvel, claimed Pitt has been the mastermind of a "vindictive campaign" to "loot" the profitable business since she first filed for divorce in 2016.

Nouvel accused Pitt of "hijacking" Château Miraval and "wasting" the company's assets on unnecessary renovation projects, including spending $1 million on swimming pool renovations, according to the court documents previously obtained by Fox News Digital.

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The "Girl, Interrupted" actress's former company also slammed Pitt's claim he "built" the wine business into a profitable company.

"Pitt is an actor, not a winemaker," the documents say. "He deals in illusions, not dirt and grapes. During the years that he allegedly 'built' the business, he filmed and appeared in dozens of movies, not to mention making countless promotional appearances, jet-setting around the world for movie premieres, and attending Hollywood parties. While he no doubt visited the vineyards to admire the work of the French laborers who actually made the business successful, Pitt is no vigneron."

Brad Pitt bites his lower lip and smiles in a black suit

Brad Pitt is seeking damages "in an amount to be proven at trial." (Stephane Cardinale/Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)

While the former couple's winery battle rages on, Pitt and Jolie have also yet to finalize their divorce.

Pitt hasn't let that stop him from moving on. The actor is in a "good place" and getting serious with Ines de Ramon, who is 27 years younger. They were first romantically linked in November 2022.

Brad Pitt and Ines de Ramon walk red carpet

Brad Pitt has moved on with girlfriend Ines de Ramon. (Getty images)

The new relationship followed the end of Ramon's marriage to "The Vampire Diaries" star Paul Wesley. The two were married for nearly three years.

Wesley and Ramon finalized their divorce in February, according to E! News. The former couple "entered into a written agreement regarding their property and their marriage or domestic partnership right."

Authored by Lauryn Overhultz via FoxNews March 12th 2024