The $7.5 million Vintage Wine Estates securities settlement is already approved — Judge Gloria M. Navarro entered judgment on September 22, 2026 — so the only thing left for VWE investors to do is file a claim by October 9, 2026. The opt-out and objection window closed on September 1. Investors who bought VWE common stock between October 13, 2021 and February 8, 2023 are in the class, and plaintiffs estimate the average recovery at about $0.79 per affected share before fees and expenses.
Status: Final approval granted September 22, 2026; claims open | Claim deadline October 9, 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET | Opt-out and objection deadline passed (September 1, 2026)
Where the Case Stands Now
The case is Ezzes v. Vintage Wine Estates, Inc., No. 2:22-cv-01915-GMN-DJA, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada. On September 22, 2026, the court heard the request for final approval, the plan of allocation and lead counsel’s fee and expense application, and on the same day entered its Judgment Approving Class Action Settlement, dismissing the claims with prejudice. Lead counsel, Glancy Prongay Wolke & Rotter LLP, announced the approval in a press release on September 24, 2026.
Approval does not mean immediate payment. The judgment states that any ruling on attorneys’ fees and expenses is separate and will not hold up the settlement, but the settlement becomes effective only after the time for appeals runs out or any appeal is resolved. The claim window, meanwhile, stays open through October 9, 2026 regardless of the court’s timing.
What Investors Alleged
The lawsuit alleges that Vintage Wine Estates and certain of its executives made false or misleading statements about the company’s inventory and cost of goods, and that VWE stock traded at inflated prices as a result. The plaintiffs point to two events: inventory adjustments the company made in September 2022, and its announcement on February 8, 2023 that it would restate previously issued financial results. They allege the share price fell as those problems came to light.
The defendants deny the allegations and any wrongdoing. The case settled without any finding that the statements were false.
The Bankruptcy Question
Vintage Wine Estates filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in July 2024, and its stock no longer trades on the Nasdaq. That does not affect this claim. The settlement is paid from a fund created in this securities case, and claims go to the court-appointed claims administrator, not to the bankruptcy estate. An investor does not need to file anything in the bankruptcy to share in this $7,500,000 fund.
Who Is in the Class
The class covers all persons and entities who purchased Vintage Wine Estates, Inc. publicly traded common stock between October 13, 2021 and February 8, 2023, inclusive, and were damaged as a result. During that period the stock traded on the Nasdaq under the ticker VWE.
The defendants and the related persons and entities listed as excluded in the settlement notice are not class members. Neither is anyone who submitted a valid exclusion request by September 1, 2026. Everyone else in the class is bound by the approved settlement, whether or not they file.
How Much the Fund Pays
| Settlement fund | $7,500,000 in cash |
| Fees and expenses requested | Up to 33⅓% of the fund in attorneys’ fees plus up to $280,000 in expenses — about $0.29 per affected share combined |
| Estimated average recovery | About $0.79 per affected share before fees and expenses |
| How it is divided | Pro rata by Recognized Loss under the plan of allocation |
Before anything is distributed, the fund pays notice and administration costs, taxes, and whatever fees and litigation expenses the court awards. The $0.79 figure is both an estimate and an average; it is not a guaranteed per-share amount. Each authorized claimant’s Recognized Loss depends on when their shares were bought and sold, and it is measured against the total Recognized Losses of all valid claims. Individual payments can therefore come in above or below the average.
What the Claim Requires
The Proof of Claim does not ask for a notice ID or any code from a mailed notice, so an investor who never received a notice can still file. It does have two requirements:
- A signature on the certification.
- Brokerage documentation — account statements, trade confirmations or a similar broker record — for every VWE purchase, sale and holding listed.
List every transaction the form asks about, including profitable ones. Missing transactions or unsupported entries can make a claim deficient. Non-U.S. claimants may need additional forms, which are listed on the claim form.
Filing by October 9
Eligible investors file with the court-appointed claims administrator, Strategic Claims Services, through the official Vintage Wine Securities Settlement website. The site has the online filing option, the notice and the Proof of Claim form. Filing is free, and you do not need a lawyer.
- Identify the beneficial owner of the shares.
- Enter each VWE transaction the form requests.
- Attach the supporting brokerage records.
- Sign the certification and submit — online by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on October 9, 2026, or by mail postmarked by that date.
Keep a copy of the claim and any confirmation from the administrator. After the deadline, the administrator reviews each claim, calculates Recognized Losses and asks the court to authorize distribution. No distribution date has been announced. OpenClassActions.com tracks the case on its Vintage Wine Estates settlement page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has the Vintage Wine Estates settlement been approved?
Yes. The court held the final approval hearing on September 22, 2026 and entered judgment approving the settlement the same day. It becomes effective after the appeal period runs out or any appeal is resolved.
Can I still file even though the company went bankrupt?
Yes. Claims are paid from the settlement fund through the court-appointed claims administrator, not through the Vintage Wine Estates bankruptcy case. File a Proof of Claim with the administrator by October 9, 2026.
Can I still opt out or object?
No. The deadline for exclusion requests and objections was September 1, 2026. Class members who did not opt out are bound by the settlement, and filing a claim is the only step left.
How much is the Vintage Wine Estates settlement paying?
Plaintiffs estimate an average of about $0.79 per affected share before fees and expenses. Each claimant receives a pro rata share based on their Recognized Loss, so individual amounts can be higher or lower.
Do I need the notice I got in the mail?
No. The Proof of Claim does not ask for a notice ID. It must be signed and supported by brokerage records for the Vintage Wine Estates transactions you list.
Sources
- Official settlement website, notice and Proof of Claim — Vintage Wine Securities Settlement, administered by Strategic Claims Services.
- Judgment Approving Class Action Settlement (ECF No. 135, filed September 22, 2026), Ezzes v. Vintage Wine Estates, Inc., No. 2:22-cv-01915-GMN-DJA (D. Nev.).
- Glancy Prongay Wolke & Rotter LLP press release announcing final approval, September 24, 2026.
- OpenClassActions.com — $7.5M Vintage Wine Estates Securities Settlement.
Source and credit: the settlement terms, deadlines and benefit details described above are drawn from our sister site’s reporting — OpenClassActions.com: $7.5M Vintage Wine Estates Securities Settlement (VWE) — which tracks this case against the court-approved notice and the official settlement website and is updated as the court rules.
Legal Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. OpenClassActions.org is a consumer news site, not a law firm and not the settlement administrator, and is not affiliated with any party to the case described. The allegations are allegations; unless a court has ruled, the defendants deny wrongdoing and no court has decided the merits. Deadlines, benefit amounts and payment timing can change as the court and the administrator act, so confirm current status on the official settlement website. You never need to pay anyone to file a claim or to receive a settlement payment.