Tom Reimer alleges three wine chillers installed in his £8 million Marylebone flat in 2021 had a 1cm gap in their sliding doors, allowing warm air to enter and causing condensation and mould to damage labels on around 1,500 bottles. He claims some wines may also have become corked, reducing the collection’s value by about £500,000, with a further £50,000 sought for other losses.

His collection includes rare Bordeaux wines such as Château Mouton Rothschild and Petrus.

International Food Services Equipment denies liability, arguing the gap is a standard design feature that does not affect cooling performance. The company claims any damage resulted from the fridges being switched off because they were too noisy, an allegation Mr Reimer denies. The case is before Central London County Court.