Operation Cab Resurrection

• Saturday, October 24th
• Was out running errands with my beautiful pregnant wife and I cannot get the lousy result of the Cab out of my mind.  We swung by my home brew store, and they suggested to add a can of concentrated juice.  Found out another neighborhood brew store carried concentrated cabernet juice and was willing to help me try and save the Cab.  Since I had already added potassium sulfite and sorbate, the options were limited.  Final plan was to make 10 gallons of 18% cabernet from Alexander grape concentrate and to mix 50:50 with the current dilute cab and get a resulting 13-13.5% full bodied cab.  Bought 2 96oz and 2 48oz cans.  Since I only have 3 extra buckets, juggling the dilute wine with concentrated wine will be the majority of the battle.
• Put 1 98oz and 1 48oz can of concentrate in each primary fermenter.  Added enough water to bring up to 5 gallons.  Plan was to add 4lbs of sugar to each to bucket to raise Sp gravity to 1.14.  Actually took about 19lbs between the two buckets.  When checking the acid, acid level was 0.3%.  Added 3 tablespoons to one bucket, but need to get more to bring the other up.   Will probably add a total of 6 tablespoons per each bucket which will result in a tanic acid level of 0.75% so when it is diluted, it should be still potent.  Added 1tsp of tanin and then pectin enzyme.  Split yeast nutrient between two buckets.  Added two packets of yeast to water for 5min to get re-hydrated and then added to each bucket.  Affixed air lock on bucket.  Almost immediately begain bubbling. 
• Saturday, November 6th
• Sp grav of bucket 1: 1.03
• Sp grav of bucket 2: 1.04
• Tuesday, November 16th
• Sp grav of bucket 1: 1.02
• Sp grav of bucket 2: 1.025
• Transfered bucket 1 to temporary holding bucket until original dilute cab was transfered out of glass carboy into primary fermenter.  Then transfered resurrection cab into glass carboy and airlocked.  Will check in 1-2 weeks.
• Sunday, November 28th
• Sp grav of bucket 2: 1.025
• Transfered bucket 2 to temporary holding bucket until original dilute cab was transfered out of glass carboy into primary fermenter.  Then transfered resurrection cab into plastic carboy and airlocked will check in 1-2 weeks.
• Wednesday, December 8th
• Sp grav of bucket 1: 1:02
• Sp grav of bucket 2: 1.03
• Both buckets were very, very sweet and very strong in alcohol.  Sp gravity is not changing at all so will call Bacchus tommarrow and see if it will.  Very, very good flavor.  Per recipe, should be between 0.99 and 1.00 spec grav before adding stabilizer.  Doubt will hit that.
• Wednesday, December 15th
• Sp grav of bucket 1: 1.025
• Sp grav of bucket 2: 1.03
• Spoke with Bacchus and they recommended to mix to taste.  Tested 1:1 ratio with Elaine and Blaine.  We all thought it was a little on the wild side, but had a very good flavor.  Utilized several 5 gallong Home Depot/Lowe's buckets to transfer all the various wines around.  I mixed 2.5 gallons of concentrated wine with 2.5 gallons and put each 5 gallon batch into either a carboy or primary fermenter.  Took a specific gravity reading.  Each bucket was approximately 1.01.  Had about 4 liters of dilute wine left over.  Split into 4 1.1 liter aliquots and added them to the 4 batches.  Took another specific gravity reading of each and was still 1.01. Per Bacchus, fermentation may start up again so haven't added the Zinfandel pumace or Oak chips.  Will check specific gravity in a couple of days.  If not changing, will add stabilizer and potassium sulfate and then chips and pumace.  I think this is going to work.  Woot Woot!
• Tuesday, December 21st
• Sp grav of each bucket/carboy: 1.01
• Added 2 tsp of potassium sorbate and 2 campden tablets to each container
• Added oak chips (amount?) and Zinfandel pumace to each container and stirred but had to run to breastfeeding class. 
• Wednesday, December 22nd
• Stirred each container vigorously for 2min to ensure driving off of C02 and mixing in chips/pumace. 
• Already smells great and color is beautiful