What role do oak barrels play in Spanish wine production?

The barrels made from oak are the basics of the Spanish winemaking process because without them the wine is not rich on flavor, structure, and aging. The porous character of Oak allows for a controller degree of oxygenation at certain levels thus making the wines more refined and complex. Moreover, oak contributes "vanilla", "spicy" and "toasty" flavors hence elevating the general wine profile. The aging period, as well as different type of oak, are the factors that produce wines with different degrees of oaky taste.