The value of durum wheat varieties depends on their grain yield and quality traits as well. In the present work the gluten and pigment content, gluten extensibility and semolina yield, of three popular Hungarian winter durum wheat varieties was studied. The trial was conducted between 1996-1999, on experimental plots under the same soil- and agronomic conditions. The crop-years, especially the rains, had a strong effect on the quality of durum wheat. In the studied years the semolina yield, yellow pigment content and gluten extensibility changed very much. The grain yield changed on only a small scale by the years studied.