Why the foliage?

We all love fall colors and visiting wine country this time of the year is such an incredible experience, especially in places like Langhe where you can look at the vineyards with a plate of tajarin al tartufo under your nose. ⁠ ⁠Over summer, the leaves are green because they are full of chlorophyll, a vital substance that is produced buy the plant in order to capture solar rays and contribute to its photosynthesis, which is how the plant actually generates nourishment for itself. ⁠ ⁠ As the amount of daylight decreases, the plant slows down its metabolism and the production of chlorophyll, revealing the other colors which, for the most part, have been there the entire time! ⁠ The plant is basically choosing to close up shop momentarily until temperatures and daylight will start to increase again in spring. ⁠ ⁠ We still don’t know exactly why this happens, a number of hypotheses have been proposed, and generally fall into two categories: interaction with animals, and protection from nonbiological factors. As we wait for scientific development, we’ll just sit down and enjoy: the plate of tajarin is coming right up! ⁠