Master tailor Tom Reimer is suing International Food Services Equipment Ltd. for more than £550,000, alleging that leaky wine refrigerators installed in his London apartment in 2021 ruined a collection of French wines valued at approximately £1 million. The claim, filed at Central London County Court, centers on the alleged failure of three wine chillers to maintain stable temperatures, leading to condensation and mould growth on the bottles.
Reimer, who once tailored for opera legend Luciano Pavarotti, claims the faulty units caused significant damage to the labels and potentially the wine itself. The collection included elite bottles such as 1982 Chateau Mouton Rothschild, which can retail for over £1,000, and 2012 Chateau Petrus Pomerol, valued at more than £2,000 per bottle. Damage to labels is particularly detrimental in the collectors' market, as it raises concerns about the wine's condition and diminishes its resale value.
The tailor is seeking £499,452 for the reduced value of his 1,500-bottle London collection, along with an additional £50,000 to cover other costs, including over £14,000 spent on commercial wine storage and the approximately £23,000 cost of the initial installation. The wine coolers were installed as part of a refurbishment of Reimer's £8 million Marylebone apartment in 2021.
Reimer's legal team contends that a 1cm gap on the fridge doors allowed for constant leakage of cool air and entry of warm air. This, they argue, led to temperature fluctuations and instability, forcing the condensers to work excessively, resulting in vibration, overheating, and condensation. The defence, however, denies designing the doors and describes the gap as a standard industry feature. They further assert that any damage was a result of Reimer or his associates repeatedly turning off the units due to noise complaints from neighbours. The fitting company also stated they would not have accepted the job if they had been aware of the collection's substantial value.
Reimer, whose family is of German origin, established a successful tailoring business in Hamburg, where he dressed Pavarotti in the 1990s. He possesses a larger collection of 20,000 bottles stored primarily in Germany. The installation of the wine coolers in his London flat was intended to house a portion of this collection. The defence also noted that the £23,000 installation cost was modest compared to high-end wine storage specialists, who might charge upwards of £190,000. They maintain that their products are not intended for storing wines valued at such high figures without specific prior disclosure and requirements.
The trial is ongoing. The core of the dispute lies in whether the alleged gaps in the fridge doors caused the environmental damage or if external factors, such as the units being turned off, were responsible. Reimer denies turning off the coolers, attributing any excessive noise and vibration to the units working overtime due to the alleged design flaw.