A master tailor and wine collector was ordered to pay £110,000 in legal costs after a court dismissed his claim that faulty cooling units ruined his £1 million vintage wine collection. Tom Reimer, known for having dressed opera singer Luciano Pavarotti, sued International Food Services Equipment for £550,000, alleging that custom-made chillers installed in his London flat caused condensation that damaged wine labels and possibly corks, reducing the collection’s value.

Reimer, who owns an £8 million property in Marylebone, central London, claimed that a small gap between the glass sliding doors of the wine chillers allowed warm air to enter and cool air to escape. He argued this led to mould growth on labels and potential cork degradation on around 1,500 bottles stored there, including rare vintages such as 1982 Château Mouton Rothschild and 2012 Petrus. These wines — highly valued on the collectors' market — lose value significantly if the labels are damaged, as buyers may question the wine’s condition.

However, Judge Sarah Ellington at Central London County Court rejected Reimer’s case, concluding that the damage was more likely caused by his own actions rather than equipment failure. The court found that Reimer had repeatedly turned off the wine chillers after neighbours complained about noise and vibrations coming from the cooling units. Although Reimer admitted to switching off the devices twice, the judge determined this had occurred multiple times. Additionally, the judge noted that part of the cooling system had been boxed in on Reimer’s instructions, which may have impaired ventilation.

Legal representatives for International Food Services Equipment argued the units met industry standards, with only a “hairline” gap between the doors. They maintained that the chillers were not defective and contended that the repeated power interruptions, prompted by noise complaints from Reimer’s neighbours and landlord, were the true cause of the poor conditions inside the wine storage.

The judge described Reimer’s decision to switch off the units without consulting the supplier as “unreasonable” and suggested he could have mitigated the damage by relocating the collection while the cooling system was replaced. The ruling also highlighted that the tailor’s concerns about noise and vibrations led to significant operational disruption, which directly affected the storage environment.

Reimer, a scion of a wealthy German family, has built a successful tailoring career, notably in Hamburg, and had the chillers installed in 2021 at a cost of approximately £23,000. His London wine collection included thousands of bottles, stored both there and at his home in Germany.

The court’s decision holds Reimer responsible for the condition of his prized wine collection, with the judgment ordering him to cover the expenses of the legal proceedings.