The 2000 Wine Auction of the Hospices de Beaune - the 140th of its kind - will be broadcasted live on Internet and users the world over will be able to take part in this auction of prestigious wines. Moreover, to enable all net surfers - individuals and companies alike - to purchase wine, 100 bottles of wine will be offered for sale in the virtual auction room, with starting price at less than one euro. These wines have been bought and bottled by Burgundies wine merchants before 2000 (oldest vintage).

The campaign, led by AUSTRALIS Web Marketing Agency, with the agreement of the Burgundy Wine Merchant syndicate (FNEB), is supported by a pool of partners who have agreed to put their complimentary experience at the service of this major charity sale. Operations will be based on an Internet auction sale system set up by:

• AUCLAND, one of the leading European on-line auction houses, will provide the virtual auction room where web users will be able to bid.
  

• FRANCE TELECOM & WANADOO will provide the telecommunication and Internet access, in order to achieve the broadcasting of the event.
  

• IBM will equip the Beaune sales room with terminals for Internet access, thus linking the actual and virtual sales rooms together. www.Aucland.fr is powered by IBM.
  

• LA POSTE (French Post office), through COLIPOSTE, its Direction for delivery of parcels to private customers, will be in charge of logistics: packaging and transport of bottles sold on the event web site.
  

• WINETODAY.COM, an online publication of NEW YORK TIMES DIGITAL, the internet division of the NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY, will provide exposure to the U.S. market and a highly desirable demographic of wine aficionados.