When a barrel is new, its wood transmits its tannins and aromas to the wine. The taste of vanilla, toast, hazelnuts or even spices come from the aging process. The longer the barrel has lived, the less aroma it transmits to the wine. In this case, it is used to promote slow oxygenation of the wine. Oxygen can indeed enter the barrel and come into contact with the wine. In small quantities, oxygen stabilizes the wine, making it more resistant and paradoxically less sensitive to oxidation.