Multi-millionaire Tom Reimer has launched a £500,000 lawsuit against International Food Services Equipment, demanding compensation after a cherished wine collection was ruined inside his luxury apartment in London's affluent Marylebone district.

Back in 2021, during a massive renovation of his £8 million property, Reimer decided to install a dedicated wine display area. The contractor fitted three bespoke, remote-condenser refrigeration cabinets with a total capacity of 1,383 bottles, costing the tailor nearly £23,000.

However, what was meant to be a showstopping architectural centerpiece quickly devolved into a nightmare.

According to Reimer’s legal counsel, the installers made a fatal error: they left a gap of roughly 1 centimeter (0.4 inches) along the entire height of the sliding glass doors.

Due to this structural gap, cold air continuously leaked out while warm air seeped in. The system worked around the clock to compensate, driving humidity levels through the roof and causing heavy condensation to drip down the walls and bottles.

The resulting damage was catastrophic:

• Labels on rare, vintage wines became covered in mold and began disintegrating;

• Fluctuating temperatures and constant motor vibrations compromised the corks, in all likelihood ruining the wine itself.

On the fine wine market, a damaged label is a death sentence—buyers routinely refuse to purchase compromised bottles over fears that the liquid inside has oxidized into vinegar.

Casualties Include 1928 Masterpieces and Château Pétrus

Reimer’s London collection—part of an extraordinary 20,000-bottle personal cellar—housed true treasures from Bordeaux and the Rhône Valley, including:

• Château Mouton Rothschild 1982 (valued at over £1,500 per bottle): A legendary red that earned a perfect 100-point score from iconic critic Robert Parker, featuring a label illustrated by film director John Huston.

• Château Pétrus Pomerol 2012 (valued between £2,500 and £3,600 per bottle): An exceptionally rare wine produced in ultra-limited quantities of just 30,000 bottles per year.

The tailor is now suing for £499,452 over the devaluation of his collection, alongside an additional £50,000 to cover equipment removal and off-site professional storage fees.

Representatives for the defendant, International Food Services Equipment—a firm known for outfitting kitchens in some of the UK’s most exclusive restaurants—categorically deny any liability.

Defense counsel Matthew Winn-Smith argued in court that the gap was intentional for technical reasons and that the doors complied fully with industry standards.

The defense's key argument asserts that Reimer switched off the cooling units himself, exacerbating the problem. Reimer firmly denies turning off the units.

The trial continues at the Central London County Court.