Revue Vinicole Internationale

Les Grands Buffets in Narbonne, a different attitude

With a wine list offering over 70 varieties, all exclusively from the Languedoc-Roussillon terroir, Les Grands Buffets in Narbonne is a leading proponent of regional wines. The wine list has become over time an ideal guide to the wine producing excellence of Languedoc-Roussillon. Les Grands Buffets aims to offer wines at the high end of the wine producing market. This non-conformist sales policy at "cost price” has revolutionised the art of eating and drinking and the manner in which we go about it 70 top range wines are presented to the tables of the restaurant which has a wide general public, served by the glass,  all from the same region which is effectively a unique practice which is only feasible thanks to an extremely important apparatus in the dining room in the form of special cabinets known as Enomatiques which keep the wines at the ideal temperature under nitrogen.

The current approach to wine is part of a greater vision. In 2012, les Grands Buffets welcomed Sophie Veyrat renowned sommelière and an expert in the world of haute cuisine, (coming from the Restaurant L'Oasis at Mandelieu, with two Michelin stars), who redesigned the "Private Bowling Pub" in the restaurant’s ground floor, in a place where wine making has a great reputation.  

Les Grands Buffets restaurant is unique in France in offering the bottle served at table at the producer price. This approach has managed in the space of 5 years to reverse the trend and to counteract a priori questionable pricing strategies.
The amounts consumed at table in Les Grands Buffets (55,000 bottles per annum) have increased by over 50%, that is, 18,000 bottles more every year.
The offer of wines at "cellar price" has boosted take away sales.
This accounts for 20,000 bottles per year. All these devices have enabled les Grands Buffets to sell 75 000 bottles yearly.