Hollywood power couple Brad Pitt – Angelina Jolie bought the Chateau Miraval estate in 2008 for $28.3 million. This is also where the two held their wedding in 2014 in the presence of their adopted and biological 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren before breaking up in 2019. According to Brad Pitt, they agreed not to sell their shares of the land without the consent of the other.

However, recently, Brad Pitt sued his ex-wife Angelina Jolie for selling a stake in the estate to Russian businessman Yuri Shefler – the owner of a spirits producer based in Luxembourg. Fans of the famous couple are also curious about the aforementioned mystery buyer.

Angelina Jolie sells shares of her wine estate to Russian billionaire Yuri Shefler. Photo: Reuters, Moscow_gram/Twitter

Billionaire with a fortune of 2.4 billion USD

Born in Oryol (Russia), Yuri Shefler, 54 years old, graduated from Plekhanov Russian Economic University. Previously, he was Chairman of Vnukovo Aviation Company, along with other roles he founded SPI Group in 1997.

Shefler got into trouble when he was accused of misappropriating the Stolichnaya Vodka brand and was forced to leave Russia. According to Forbes, Shefler purchased the brand from the state-owned VVO Soyuzplodoimport for $285,000 in 1997, but Russia’s Supreme Court ruled the sale illegal in 2001, barring Shefler from selling its vodka in the country. He moved to Latvia, where he still has large factories to this day before settling in the UK in 2002, according to the Russian website TAdviser.

SPI produces and sells alcohol in 170 countries. Stoli is responsible for the production, management and distribution of most of SPI’s spirits portfolio. The group’s wine development division, Tenute del Mondo Group, was founded in 2006 and has since acquired part of estates such as Marchesi de Frescobaldi in Italy; Achaval Ferrer of Argentina, Arinzano and Melipal in Spain and now Jolie’s stake in Chateau Miraval.

Estate Chateau Miraval. Photo: Vineyardbrands / Instagram

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s Chateau Miraval estate is an entire 4.05 square kilometer estate located in the Provence village of Correns and equipped with everything one would expect in a celebrity home. Miraval has a number of structures dating back to the 17th century, such as a medieval European chapel, a pine forest, a lake, an olive grove… The Chateau Miraval estate boasts a natural environment with elements such as soil, topography and climate ideal for organic farming with its 0.6 square kilometer plot of land used to grow grape varieties such as Cinsault, Grenache, and Syrah.

Chateau Miraval was first used as a winery in the 1850s thanks to the construction of a cellar by owner Joseph-Louis Lombot. In the late 1970s, Jacques Loussier took ownership of the property and maintained the winemaking operation. Since taking over, Brad Pitt has turned the estate into one of the best rosé producers.

Inside Chateau Miraval’s winery. Photo: Moestue / Instagram

Billionaire willing to play

Shefler used to own one of the largest yachts in the world, the Serene. The 133.8m-long yacht was built by Italian shipyard Fincantieri in 2011 for $330 million. Serene is often rented by business tycoons and billionaires, including Bill Gates, for $5 million a week for a vacation in Sardinia in 2014. Shefler sold Serene to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for $500 million.

In addition to yachts, Shefler also owns two Gulfstream G650 jets ($70 million) and a Bombardier Global Express XRS private jet ($55 million).

Photo: Adayachts/Instagram

The mansion Shefler lives in in Weybridge, Surrey, has seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms and was purchased by the billionaire in 2005 for $11 million. According to the Evening Standard, Shefler’s mansion has two kitchens, a swimming pool, a gym, a solarium and giant sauna, parking for 10 cars and a separate staff area. According to the same source, the billionaire has listed the property for $ 20 million on the market, but no buyer has been announced.

The billionaire also has a vacation home in St. Jean Cap Ferrat, France and Scotland’s most expensive sports property, Tulchan ($33 million).

Source: мarca