A MATURE student placed first in a national competition for her studies in how you can get the best Pinot Noir.

Inmaculada Ollero, from Brighton, claimed first prize in the South of England Agricultural Society’s Level 4 Student Assignment Competition and was presented with her award at the Autumn Show and Game Fair last weekend.

The Plumpton College student was studying a degree in Viticulture and Oenology and her winning project was looking at four different Pinot Noir grape varieties from Burgundy over four years.

The purpose was to the discover the best way to produce the wine in England.

She has finished her degree and now works full time at Ridgeview.

Ms Ollero said: "Four years isn’t really long enough for this kind of study so I would love to carry on with the research if I can and Plumpton has encouraged other students to do so."