The wines of St-Émilion are generally delightfully complex and elegant. Common fruit flavours include plums, strawberries, cherries which can become more dried and stewed with age. Oak ageing is very common, providing balanced flavours of vanilla, toast and nutmeg. The wines often have a good potential to age, ranging anywhere from 3 to 30 years. Ageing allows the development of deeper leather, tobacco and chocolate notes which can result in outstanding wines.