Host story: why Crown Wine Cellars remains the club of choice for so many
Founded 21 years ago, Hong Kong’s Crown Wine Cellars remains committed to its mission: providing top-end service while giving back to the planet.
Long before the most recent wave of wine-focused members’ clubs set up in Hong Kong’s old and trendy buildings, there was Crown Wine Cellars (CWC).
Nestled between trees in Shouson Hill, the club was founded in 2004, restoring and adaptively reusing the most historically significant military site in the city – a feat for which it gained UNESCO recognition in 2007. Founded on a philosophy of ‘integrated sustainability’, environmental and societal protection continues to be critical to the club’s enduring success. “Long before it was fashionable, CWC transitioned to a 100% sustainable, free-range, wild, organic, MSC, non-GMO and seasonal ingredient list,” says company principle Gregory De’eb. “We do this not only because the food is healthier and tastes better, but also because it’s more humane and kinder to our broader environment.”
Taking care of the planet and community comes at no cost to providing the most elevated experience to members and guests, and pleasure remains at the heart of the club’s endeavour.
“The philosophy behind the club is to provide an iconic location dedicated to the celebration and consumption of our clients’ own amazing wine collections,” says De’eb. “These wine collections are in turn kept in the world’s leading underground wine cellars located in the hills surrounding the Club. There is no such thing as corkage at CWC, and because Hong Kong enjoys zero tax on wine, CWC is the only club in existence where members can open and enjoy any wine at zero additional cost. After all, where is the love and passion in simply treating great wines as a basic commodity?”
When it comes to events, from music concerts and fine art exhibitions to high-fashion runway shows and senior military delegations, CWC has welcomed them all.
De’eb says: “The club has hosted every type of wine-related event imaginable.”
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For him, it is the “sheer variety” that CWC offers that makes it the club of choice. In May, CWC hosted db Asia’s very own Wine and Spirits Masters competition, welcoming a group of renowned experts and judges to the conservatory to taste through more than 100 wines and spirits, awarding the top expressions with Gold, Silver and Bronze medals, and a lucky few with the most coveted accolade: a Master.
Just days before that, CWC hosted the VIP reception and welcome dinner for the Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency (HKQAA) International Sustainability Forum 2025. The HKQAA, which has encouraged organisations and industries to foster the sustainable development of Hong Kong since 1989, has been striving to develop schemes to promote best practices of sustainability, climate risk management and responsible investment.
De’eb presented the welcome and keynote speech at the event, focusing on how CWC’s successful sustainability initiatives have furthered the HKQAA’s mission to build a greener city.
Sustainable approach
De’eb says the club’s “integrated sustainability approach” is all about captivating imagination, as opposed to traditional marketing.
Its commercial viability relies on a policy of “positive taxation”, he explains, “providing a sought-after destination to the wealthier in our community and using that revenue to pay back to society through conservation and charity”.
Supporting and hosting approximately 70 charity, community, and education organisations each year, it’s clear that more than two decades after the club was set up, it is staying true to its foundations.
CWC continues to be recognised for its efforts, winning the Renewable Energy Implementation Award at this year’s db Asia Green Awards.
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