Small clear plastic cups filled with spices are passed down the row, starting the impromptu quiz. Look. Sniff. Guess. Look. Sniff. Guess.

Cumin. Correct.

Kimberly Smith / AJC (ENLARGE)

Chateau Elan's American Sauvignon Blanc, paired with arborio flour crusted prawns on a bed of wakami sesame seaweed salad, are among the culinary delights that await visitors.

Kimberly Smith / AJC (ENLARGE)

Chateau Elan winery director and winemaker Pete Kasprzak (far left), leads tourists through the cask room at Chateau Elan.

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Paprika. Correct.

Those were the easy ones.

Others, like garlic powder and coriander, befuddle some of the dozen attendees at a Saturday culinary demonstration at Château Élan Winery & Resort.

The routine continues, followed with Executive Chef Marc Suennemann combining the dry and other ingredients such as lemons, avocados, baby arugula, frisee, green and red oak lettuces to make his mid-afternoon treat.

The reward for getting it right: a smile from Suennemann and the promise of a plate of the day's creation: soft-shell crab salad.

As the chef continues to mix, chop and pan fry, winemaker Peter Kasprzak fills wine glasses with Château Élan's Reserve Chardonnay and peach-flavored Summer Wine, made of muscadines, two selections from the 75-acre vineyard that we and others tasted earlier in the day on a tour with the chatty Australian.

All the ingredients combine to create a relaxing afternoon centered around food and wine at the 16th-century French-styled resort near the border of four counties – Gwinnett, Barrow, Hall and Jackson.

They're among the cheapest things to do on a day trip to the property, which on our Saturday visit was busy with an outdoor Indian wedding, competitions at the equestrian center and a bustling spa with robe-wearing men and women relaxing between appointments in the lounge and its Fleur de Lis restaurant.

DEMO DAY

Château Élan's culinary studio, which opened last August adjacent to the wine market, is set up like a dream kitchen, with Viking appliances, including two refrigerators, a six-burner cooktop, gas range, eight-burner rangetop, electric double oven and gas grill.

The demonstration, which costs $20 a person and is held at 3 p.m. Saturdays, is up-close and personal. The weekly event also joins cooking classes and special chef and winemaker dinners the resort offers.

Sitting at the granite counter top bar in front of the cooktop, we have to scoot our chairs back to avoid being splattered by oil as the soft-shell crab are fried to a golden brown.

As Suennemann explains how to cut an avocado, we're close enough to grab a chunk before he throws it into the stainless steel bowl with cherry tomatoes. But we resist, waiting for the final product.

He chides the "class" for being too quiet, and ultimately gets in discussions with people about dishes they enjoy cooking. Grilling is a hot topic, with Suennemann offering tips on everything from ribs to corn, and even getting a few pointers from someone about his recipe for a perfect burger.

By the time the hour is up, half of a soft-shell crab is placed atop each serving of salad tossed with lemon-caper dressing. Then it's silent, except for Kasprzak, who is hanging out while waiting for his 4 p.m. wine tour and encourages people to smell what they're eating.

Chowing down in front of a chef is an experience folks should try. While Suennemann is amicable and informal, you feel as if you should pay compliments with every bite. And it's that good.

He promises the recipe will be online by the middle of the week, and suggests places to buy soft-shell crab. We leave, ready to emulate that dish and others in our own kitchens.

WINERY WANDERINGS

The winery tours, which run Monday-Saturday, culminate with a tasting of five wines. Before that treat, a short walk from the wine market takes you into a room with massive stainless steel tanks and other equipment and then into a room with a view of the bottling process.

On our Saturday tour, the equipment wasn't in action, but it was a glimpse into the mind-set of Kasprzak, who joined the state's largest winery last fall as its winemaker and winery director.

Clutching a glass of wine and wearing jeans, a Polo shirt and cowboy boots, Kasprzak starts off by declaring that the products we'll taste at the end of the tour aren't his. His are expected to debut in the next month.

With that out of the way, he launches into an entertaining explanation of misconceptions people have about wine, calling it his own personal "Myth Busters." And it's OK, he says, with a smile, if you enjoy cheap wine.

With that, he leads the group around the equipment used in the pressing, crushing and fermenting, giving an overview of the processes.

By the time he's in the adjacent room, sitting on built-in shelves holding empty wine bottles, he's easily talked the group into trying some, to see if we can develop our own sense of what is and isn't good.

DINING AND SHOPPING

Seven restaurants offer plenty of options for dining on-site. Two are located in the chateau – Café Elan and Le Clos. Adjacent to the chateau is Paddy's Irish Pub, which was built in Dublin and transported here in 1997. Other options include the buffet and a la carte menus at Versailles and sports bar atmosphere at L'Auberge, both in the Château Élan inn, healthy spa fare at Fleur de Lis and the Golf Clubhouse Grille. Other eateries are located in nearby shopping centers along Ga. 211, such as Angie's Smokehouse BBQ (6323 Grand Hickory Drive, Suite 100A, 770-967-2828) and Houndstooth Grill and Tavern (6323 Grand Hickory Drive, Suite 200A, 770-967-2225).

The focus of Château Élan's wine market is its selection of wine, obviously, plus wine racks, gourmet food, dishes and other gift items for adults and kids.

A slew of antiques stores are open in Braselton and Hoschton, just a few miles north of Château Élan. Travel I-85 to exit 129 and turn right to check out the collectibles and other items at the sprawling Braselton Antique Mall (5134 Ga. 53, 706-654-3693, www.braseltonantiquemall.com) and other shops along Ga. 53.

GETTING THERE

Take I-85 north to Exit 126. Take a left, and Chateau Élan will be the first gate on your left. The winery address is 100 Tour De France, Braselton 30517.

EVENTS AT CHATEAU ÉLAN

Culinary demonstration

When: Saturdays at 3 p.m.

Cost: $20 (tickets are first-come, first-serve)

Info: 678-425-0900, www.chateauelan.com/Viking

Guided winery tours

When: 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday-Friday; noon-5 p.m. Saturday; noon-4 p.m. Sunday

Cost: $5 per person Monday-Friday, Sunday (includes five samples of wine); $10 per person or $18 per couple Saturday (includes five samples of wine and souvenir wine glass)

Info: 678-425-0900, www.chateauelan.com/winery

Groove with the Grapes Summer Concert Series

When: 8:30-11:30 p.m. July 5 (Swingin' Medallions), July 12 (The Jesters), July 26 (The Tams - a.k.a. Joe Pope Tams), Aug. 2 (Holiday Band), Aug. 9 (The Embers), Aug. 31 (Swingin' Medallions)

Where: Winery pavilion

Cost: $30

Info: 678-425-0900, www.chateauelan.com

Celebrate Braselton

When: 9 a.m.-7 p.m. July 4, fireworks at dusk. Daytime events in downtown Braselton and at Braselton Park; fireworks at Château Élan

Cost: Free

Info: 706-654-3915, www.braselton.net, www.chateauelan.com

Vineyard Fest 2008

When: Noon-5 p.m. Aug. 24

Cost: $75 (includes wine, food, entertainment)

Info: 678-425-0900, www.chateauelan.com

IF YOU GO

In addition to the culinary school and winery, Château Élan Winery & Resort has 63 holes of championship golf, the Stan Smith Tennis Center, an art gallery, seven restaurants and 322 rooms and suites at its Inn at Château Élan and spa mansion, which has 14 themed guest suites such as the Gatsby Room and the Zimbabwe room. The winery is open from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. daily. Inn rates range from $164-$259 per night plus tax; spa rooms range from $224-$299; packages available.