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The Crown Wine Cellars vision was initiated
in 2001, when Jim Thompson, Chairman of the Crown Worldwide
Group and Gregory De'eb, a former career diplomat, decided
to create the first professional wine cellar facility and
private clubhouse in Asia. The union of these two wine lovers
and their respective ideas can be directly credited to the
guiding hand of Sally, Jim's wife.
The goals were clear: Jim and Greg wanted
to establish a wine cellar facility on par with the best available
anywhere else worldwide. The setting should embody all the
core values of wine, including tradition, history, romanticism
and beauty while offering unparalleled levels of access and
service. The piece de resistance would be the inclusion of
an exclusive member's clubhouse and park-like surroundings.
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While searching for the ideal location, Jim and Greg came across what has become known as the Deep Water Bay Drive Bunkers. This unused but historically significant military site offers the perfect setting for CWC owing to its pre-World War II construction and untouched surroundings.
Crown, being known for its innovative and industry-leading ideas, approached the Hong Kong Government with a partnership concept to restore the site to historical accuracy, while transforming it into an interactive location that could be enjoyed by a broad section of the local community.
And thus, the Crown Wine Cellars project began.
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