Random Fuzzy
Nouvel's crosscomplaint noted that Famille Perrin now has majority control of Miraval Provence, hence Campari can claim "the counterparty had all the necessary powers to grant distribution rights.” It may be precisely for this deal that the transfer of shares to the Perrins was made within the last year or so.
149. By contrast, Miraval Provence’s and Familles Perrin’s 2022 public financial statements reveal that Familles Perrin now owns 50.01% of Miraval Provence:
150. In an instant, Familles Perrin became the majority owner of Miraval Provence, and Chateau Miraval was relegated to minority status.
Stoli's statement is specifically worded to make claims focused on the process while avoiding any comment on the actual decision or the agreement. Stoli does not say that it disagrees with the decision to sign a distribution arrangement with Campari nor does it have any issues with the deal itself.
Stoli states that it was
"sidelined from any strategic sessions, commercial negotiations, or distribution agreement talks as well as the decision-making process and negotiations at Miraval.""At" not "about."
How much of the negotiations took place at Miraval?
“Crucially, there was no tender, and Stoli Group had no involvement whatsoever in the negotiation process. This blatant omission of a co-owner of the brand from critical discussions casts a harsh spotlight on the fairness and transparency of any future agreements and raises questions about legitimacy of the process used for selecting a distribution partner for Miraval."How often are tenders used by small wine producers to select a distribution partner?
The answer to both questions is probably somewhere between none and never.
Much like Brad's claims in his complaints, Stoli's statement uses dramatic adjectives to obscure the fact that it isn't claiming much of anything against the decision to sign a distribution agreement with Campari. At least Stoli doesn't make the claim that it was "surprised" by the announcement.
Just Drinks
Stoli Group has spoken out against its fellow Château Miraval co-owners, which this week announced an exclusive ten-year distribution deal for the brand with Campari Group. ...
A Stoli Group spokesperson said: “In a startling development, the Stoli Group has been shockingly sidelined from any strategic sessions, commercial negotiations, or distribution agreement talks as well as the decision-making process and negotiations at Miraval,
“Crucially, there was no tender, and Stoli Group had no involvement whatsoever in the negotiation process. This blatant omission of a co-owner of the brand from critical discussions casts a harsh spotlight on the fairness and transparency of any future agreements and raises questions about legitimacy of the process used for selecting a distribution partner for Miraval.”
Campari said “While we don’t intend to comment on Stoli Group’s accusations, we want to remind that Campari Group has a proven track record of successful acquisitions and deals including in the proper and compliant legal management thereof. As with any other distribution relationship, Campari Group entered into the Miraval distribution agreements after having ensured that the counterparty had all the necessary powers to grant distribution rights.”
Just Drinks has contacted Famille Perrin and Pitt.
Campari Group previously told Just Drinks it was planning to position the wine brand within the aperitif segment in France and the US, which it called “leading rosé markets”.
“Our focus will be to further unlock the aperitif moment for Miraval, a consumption moment in which Campari Group and its family of brands is a leader.
“This a long-term partnership and we are both committed to unlocking the potential of Miraval in the US and France,” a spokesperson said earlier today.
The Aperol brand owner said distribution would begin at the start of next year, “upon availability of the new vintage”.
FT
Yuri Shefler, the Russian billionaire starring in latest ‘Brangelina’ drama
Vodka magnate’s stake in French vineyard has dragged him into the bitter dispute between Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie
Madeleine Speed SEPTEMBER 15 2023
Yuri Shefler has been locked in a battle with the Kremlin over the trademark rights to the Stolichnaya vodka brand for two decades. Now the exiled Russian billionaire is embroiled in another lengthy legal tussle — putting him at the heart of a Hollywood drama — this time over French rosé.
Shefler is fighting with Brad Pitt over control of Château Miraval, a Provence vineyard Pitt purchased with his former wife Angelina Jolie in 2008.
The billionaire, who made his fortune from his liquor empire, provoked Pitt’s ire after buying Jolie’s stake for $64mn in 2021, and thereby finding himself drawn into the pair’s acrimonious divorce. The dispute has been laid bare in a series of dramatic court filings putting Shefler’s name in headlines in recent months.
The couple discovered the picturesque 17th century Provencal château when they were “helicopter hopping” around the South of France, looking for a European property to buy.
The château and its accompanying 30 hectares of vineyard turned out to be a savvy investment. Miraval, which comes in a distinctive wide bottle, has ridden a rosé wave that saw global consumption rise 40 per cent between 2002 and 2018.
LVMH has snapped up not one but two “prestige” rosé Provencal wineries: Château d’Esclans, producer of Whispering Angel, and Château Minuty. Celebrities including Post Malone, Kylie Minogue and Jon Bon Jovi have all jumped on the band wagon.
With the help of the famous Rhône winemaker Marc Perrin, the star couple built up the brand, which generated more than €15mn in profits in 2022, according to court filings.
The actor has questioned whether Jolie had the right to sell her share in the first place, claiming in a lawsuit against Jolie last year he had a right of first refusal on the sale. Jolie countered that she had offered to sell her stake to the actor, but that talks fell through after Pitt introduced a provision stopping her from talking publicly about events leading to the split, forcing her to look elsewhere for a buyer.
Meanwhile, Shefler’s company, Stoli Group, alleges it has been frozen out of the running of Miraval by the Oscar-winner.
Jolie and Shefler, who left Russia in 2002 and lives in Switzerland, accused Pitt’s team of launching a “xenophobic, untrue smear campaign worthy of Putin himself”, according to court filings.
Pitt’s lawyers accused the group and Jolie of forcing Pitt into a partnership with “a stranger with poisonous associations and intentions” and argued that Shefler’s ownership “threatens harm to Miraval’s carefully honed reputation and brand” due to his alleged association with Vladimir Putin’s inner circle.
Stoli Group denied the allegation. “Stoli and Mr Shefler have been fighting a well-publicised and well-documented battle against Putin for over 20 years,” it said, adding, “Mr Shefler’s business practices or professional associations are nothing other than reputable.”
People familiar with Shefler say he is unlikely to be cowed by the drama.
The vodka magnate has, according to Stoli Group, endured raids, smear campaigns designed to damage his reputation, and attempted poisonings and kidnappings at the hands of Russian authorities over a vodka trademark dispute.
Shefler took over a Russian company in 1997 and formed a related company that acquired the trademarks to 43 brands, including Stolichnaya, for $300,000. Russia’s Audit Chamber later said the brands were really worth $400mn, prompting Moscow to declare the sale illegal in 2001.
In 2002, Russia’s General Prosecutor’s Office charged Shefler with threatening a government official and placed him on a wanted list. The billionaire left the country to avoid arrest, moving to Switzerland and later to Luxembourg, where the Stoli Group is headquartered.
“He keeps a low profile because he doesn’t want to be seen by the Russian government too visibly,” said a person who has worked closely with Shefler. “He is cautious about his public image.”
In the drinks sector, however, he has a “reputation for churn”, added the former colleague. “He likes to keep people feeling uncomfortable, to feel like they have to prove themselves all the time.” Stoli Group has had multiple chief executives over the past decade, according to LinkedIn.
Shefler declined to be interviewed. Stoli Group said it was normal for businesses to have managers with varying tenures. “Every story, whether short or long, adds to the company’s accomplishments,” it said.
Shefler’s management style has made headlines before. In 2022 a UK employment tribunal ordered Stoli to pay £1.62mn for the unfair dismissal of UK executive Vlad Zabelin, who was fired after he objected to staff pay cuts during the coronavirus pandemic. The court heard that Shefler and SPI Spirits UK, the UK-based subsidiary of Stoli Group, cut the wages of most of its 2,000 employees by 30 per cent during the pandemic.
Stoli Group said Zabelin left of his own accord, and that the company had taken “unprecedented steps to minimise damage from a global pandemic”. It added that compensation was restored to pre-pandemic levels after three months, and that employees were retroactively paid for the “mitigation” measures.
Stoli Group, whose other brands include Kentucky Owl bourbon and Bayou rum, announced a rebrand of its flagship vodka last year, changing the name from Stolichnaya to Stoli vodka in an attempt to distance itself from Russia following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
The group, whose wine division Tenute del Mondo has estates in Italy, Spain and Argentina, had its eye on Miraval for some time, according to Pitt’s allegations. The actor claimed in court filings that Shefler approached him in 2016, following the news of his and Jolie’s divorce, with an offer of €60mn for the estate, alongside a sweetener of a discount on a €50mn private jet.
Jolie and Pitt each declined to comment.
For the case to reach a resolution, Shefler or Pitt could buy the other out, or the two sides find a way to work together to run the wine business. But the pair appear to be at an impasse. Representatives for both sides confirmed that discussions to find a resolution had so far failed
Stoli said that “Shefler has been very consistent in his efforts to have a productive and mutually beneficial partnership with Mr Pitt”. A person familiar with the situation said: “Brad is not going to back down to bullies.”
