We present new estimates of ages and metallicities, based on FORS/VLT optical (4400-5500A) spectroscopy, of 16 dwarf elliptical galaxies (dEs) in the Fornax Cluster and in Southern Groups. These dEs are more metal-rich and younger than previous estimates based on narrow-band photometry and low-resolution spectroscopy. For our sample we find a mean metallicity [Z/H] = -0.33 dex and mean age 3.5 Gyr, consistent with similar samples of dEs in other environments (Local Group, Virgo). Three dEs in our sample show emission lines and very young ages. This suggests that some dEs formed stars until a very recent epoch and were self-enriched by a long star formation history. Previous observations of large near-infrared (~8500A) Ca II absorption strengths in these dEs are in good agreement with the new metallicity estimates, solving part of the so-called Calcium puzzle.
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