It is one of life's happy coincidences that the decline of wooden boats occured at about the same time that the modern wine industry in France was on the rise. French oak is denser, with less gallic and vanillic acids. The latter, vanillic acid is what gives oaky wines that vanilla taste. For the organic chemists in the crowd, vanillic acid is a benzoic acid, and vanillin is a benzaldehyde. Gallic acid gives the wine an astringent character, both of these acids are more present in American oak.
French oak is subtle are flavorful, American oak is rich and intense.
It is popular in Italy and eastern Europe. Oak is not the only wood used for wine. Redwood for example, was very popular until quite recently, in California. Woods other than oak are almost always chosen for their neutral qualities.